Not everyone is going to like you, dear.

Mom, I remember when I was a kid, coming to you b/c someone at school didn't like me or wasn't nice to me. You said, "Well, not everyone is going to like you, dear." I just couldn't understand why or how that could be true. It still perplexes me now.

A couple years ago, a lady I know said something similar that I want to always remember;

What you or anyone else think of me is none of my damn business!

When I first heard this, I disagreed with the comment. But the more I thought about it, the more I realized the meaning behind it. Now, I get it. Now, I'm starting to agree with it.

I'm not always going to be liked. I'm not always going to be appreciated. I'm not always going to be accepted. Sometimes, people just won't like me. For whatever reason. While there are countless people out there that love and adore me, there's one or two people that don't.

While I'm still perplexed by this, just like when I was a kid, I also realize that it's maybe not my "stuff". Maybe it's not about me. Maybe I just have to accept it and let it go.

Today, I was reminded that there's at least one person out there in the world that just does not like me. It's sad. I'm sad. I really don't know why they don't. But they don't. It bothers me a bit but I have learned that it's not really about me sometimes and maybe I just have to not worry or care so much about this and spend more time caring about the people that love me.

Mom, you said it best when I was a kid, "not everyone is going to like me", and you have always lived the best way to respond to this - by being true to yourself and what is right, by not sucking up to people just b/c they want you to, by not getting sucked in to other people's drama or passive-aggressive behaviour...You are always just yourself, your best self, nothing more - nothing less, just you (which is always more than enough), and you consistently show me that living intentionally is about living life openly and honestly and not worrying so much about what others think, because, really, not everyone's going to like me and that's none of my damn business, anyway!

Thanks Mom!
I'm learning...albiet slowly!
Love you,
Crystal