To a seamstress or a tailor, a safety pin is nothing special. To someone whose shirt button snaps in the middle of the street, the safety pin is a rare and valuable commodity, urgently sought after. Often, the things we take for granted are the very things we need to value the most – like loving and forgiving ourselves, being gentle with our souls, practicing humility, seeking clarity, patience and maintaining bona fide friendships, which we recognize are hard to come by.

The universe relentlessly offers us guidance and positive inspiration in abundance. As a practicing Buddhist, I now understand this truth. Buddhism distinguishes between emotions that are constructive, such as mindfulness and harmony, and those that are destructive, such as anger and jealousy, for instance. It encourages the cultivation of the former to eliminate the latter. From a psychological perspective, what’s important is to become aware of the great value of compassion for our own and others happiness. Too often, we imagine that we can find value outside of ourselves – in wealth, success, fame, work or relationships. The truth is that the extent to which we are happy depends mainly on our emotions. Happiness is where the heart is – where the value is.

Often, it seems as if we are living in a fog with thick mists and too many things to think about. We tend to focus on either what’s obvious or on what someone else is making the greatest noise about. Later, we realize that our agenda has been hijacked and that crucial matters of the heart have been overlooked. Today brings a valuable reminder of a true priority – YOU. Honor yourself and your present station in life. Honor the strides that you’ve made and the strength that you’ve accumulated. This is a time you should now celebrate the real value of something you may have otherwise long taken for granted – your inner self. You are worth more than you realize.

A good friend of mine has this quote noted on the bottom of her email signature; “Never allow someone to be your priority, while allowing yourself to be their option”; powerful words – but oh so true. Value your life…it’s precious.

“You yourself, as much as anybody in the entire universe – deserve your love and affection.” Buddha