At a time in my life when things couldn’t get any darker and my self esteem was shredded, the mother of one of my daughter’s college friends came to me and said, “I can see you’ve lost complete sight of who you are.” Taking  my hand in hers, she leaned in and whispered in my ear, “You need to look through the eyes of others. Watch how they respond to you. You’ll begin to see how wonderful you truly are.”

I walked away that night thinking how kind for we barely knew each other, but I found it difficult to believe her words. My own husband felt I wasn’t worth keeping after four children and twenty-two years of marriage. How could anyone else find value in me?

As the days passed, I slowly tried to live by her words. It wasn’t easy at first. My self esteem had vanished and I didn’t feel I could do anything right. Little by little, I saw what she was talking about. Through conversations with friends, I listened to their compliments over my accomplishments and talents. I marveled over their reaction to stories I told and began to see I was loved. I may have felt lonely at times, but I was never alone for there was always someone there to lend a helping hand.

It’s been eight years since that encounter. I still slip and fall from time to time and the thought of “will I ever be good enough” occasionally creeps in when I’m feeling down or tired. Then I remember those words. I watch closely how my relationships are unfolding and I’m reminded that if others feel I’m worth something then I need believe it too. The truth is I AM!