Tag: genuine

Confidence in the goodness of another is good proof of one's own goodness.” ~ Michel De Montaigne

Many relationships suffer from a lack of self-esteem. A relationship’s self-esteem is connected to that of the partner’s, but it also has a life of its own. Genuine esteem is founded in the courage to see oneself truly, both the positive and negative aspects of who we are and how we function and malfunction in the world.

You're at an awards dinner feeling somewhat lost and lonely without your spouse. He’s grinding out some last-minute work and couldn’t come, "Sorry, babe…" he said before you walked out the door.

A stranger walks up to you and starts talking with you, out of nowhere, admiring your dress, your hair, responding as if the slightest thing you say is terribly witty. She's so charming, you keep looking behind you, thinking she must have you mistaken with somebody else. She's behaving as if you've been friends for years, creating a sort of "us" out of the two of you, standing there chatting in the middle of the room. Then she says, "This is boring. Let’s go clubbing!" and even though there’s a warning going off somewhere in the back of your brain, as in, "Is this really a good idea? I don’t even know this person!" off you go.