We all want to be seen, heard and appreciated—that is my belief and it is borne out of my experience with others and myself. It is certainly true for me, and I have witnessed the longing in others. It is, in part, why we do what we do—give of ourselves, try to make a difference in the lives of others and aim to be our best.
But the question is by whom do we want to be seen heard and appreciated by? When we are looking for it out there, we may find it sometimes and be temporarily sated, and at other times be rebuked, rejected and condemned. When we desperately need it from out there, we open ourselves up, not to a healthy vulnerability, but to an unhealthy vulnerability that leaves us wide open to whim, unconsciousness and sometimes even conscious meanness by others.
We are human. It is a very deep, primal longing in us to matter—it’s ok to recognize and acknowledge we want to be seen, heard and appreciated—it is the truth. But the more we can shift that longing to be seen, heard and appreciated to our own inner orientation, the more we can have a compassionate heart towards ourselves and adequately fulfill that desire in a life affirming, long lasting, satisfying way.
The more we can witness ourselves, both our personality ego selves and all of its foibles, as well as peer through the veils to our essential, potential selves and all of our beauty and goodness, the more direct and satisfying the experience of truly seeing, hearing and appreciating the truth of who we are can be.
And when we are satisfied by truly seeing the truth of who we are, we are able to be fully present to witness the truth of other beings with a loving, appreciative heart.
It is a forever journey of dynamic discovery to explore the questions “Who Am I?” and “What is my role in the larger field of consciousness?”; to see, hear and appreciate ourselves as we walk and sometimes stumble along the way on that journey. It’s a journey that fascinates, informs and brings ever-expanding awareness of the potential both inside and outside of our being.
Happy trails to you!
How beautifully put. I can totally relate to wanting to be seen and feeling the frustration when that doesn’t happen. And how my own inner sense of myself gets marginalized through my own habits of mind. Like my survival is at stake if I am not recognized.
Thank you, Michael. xo