Monday, December 8, 2025
When you begin to carefully observe yourself, like you might observe an egret or a tree, you realize how much of a nag you are. Put a wild creature in a cage, call them “mine,” and watch them suffer, get aggressive, or even die.
Why do we think we own ourselves? St. Francis was at home in his habitat, in his own body, and in the environment at large, creatures came to him. He didn’t grab, “own,” try to control, or catch. He was transparent, and dwelt peacefully among them as if he were one of them. They were free to go. He realized his open nature and respected all life, including himself.
If you escape the mental cage of incessant abuse, the “should be’s,” and the guilt in the head, you will need recovery time. Like an abused animal, don’t expect playfulness right away. It will take time to convalesce from the insidious abuse.
Given the gift of quiet observation, you will now see yourself from “afar,” much like being on an African safari. Respectfully keep your distance, love and appreciate, but don’t molest, grab, control, and own yourself like a slave. Let yourself roam, rest, and play without interference.
Observe yourself without meddling or trapping yourself in mindsets of shame – like you own yourself. If you free yourself from your own nagging, you’ll notice your effervescence return, slowly. You might even get playful as you heal. Abused dogs, for example, need time. It will take some getting used to before you totally come out of your shell.
The Marine Mammal Protection Act makes it illegal to harass, hunt, capture, or kill any marine mammal, including manatees. This now includes yourself. If you did to marine mammals what you do to yourself in your own mind, it would be a federal offense. Stop scaring “the wildlife.” You don’t own yourself.