I exist as I am, that is enough,
If no other in the world be aware I sit content,
And if each and all be aware I sit content.
One world is aware, and by the far the largest to me, and that is myself,
And whether I come to my own today or in ten thousand or ten million years,
I can cheerfully take it now, or with equal cheerfulness, I can wait.

Walt Whitman

am I enough?

Is it selfish to want?  I spent much of my life striving to please others. Whether it is a family member, loved one or customer, I want to meet their needs as best I can. When is it enough?

Losing myself in others it is easy to put my own desires at bay. What would happen should I fall short and disappoint those I care most about?

Always worried I’m not enough, I continue on my quest until I finally become angry and disenchanted with those whom I try to satisfy. This becomes a time for rebellion as I realize my efforts are in vain.

ironic for someone who is so uninhibited

Priding myself in an ability to say almost anything without becoming embarrassed, it seems ironic that I should worry so about others well-being over my own. Is it possible to be strong yet vulnerable?

Appearances can be deceiving. I come across as a self-assured MBA mermaid, but inside I feel like a small child who fears rejection and abandonment. Why do I place such value in others perception of me?

what is enough?

Am I enough to keep someone happy? Maybe it is my turn to ask what is in it for me?

Related articles

• Walt Whitman Poems: To Those Who’ve Failed. Poetry Corner. (newgrandmas.com)
• Walt Whitman – Lessons (comprehensiblemessage.wordpress.com)