Something To Remember As We Enter The New Year

Myself
-by Edgar A. Guest 

I have to live with myself, and so
I want to be fit for myself to know,
I want to be able, as days go by,
Always to look myself straight in the eye;
I don't want to stand, with the setting sun,
And hate myself for the things I've done.

I don't want to keep on a closet shelf
A lot of secrets about myself,
And fool myself, as I come and go,
Into thinking that nobody else will know
The kind of a man I really am;
I don't want to dress up myself in sham.

I want to go out with my head erect,
I want to deserve all men's respect;
But here in the struggle for fame and pelf
I want to be able to like myself.
I don't want to look at myself and know
That I'm bluster and bluff and empty show.

I can never hide myself from me;
I see what others may never see;
I know what others may never know,
I never can fool myself, and so,
Whatever happens, I want to be
Self-respecting and conscience free.

I think I bears remembering here that not only should we comport ourselves in such a manner that we can like ourselves, but that we are not the only one who can see inside us.  God sees all the stuff we think, and oftentimes do, keep hidden from everyone else, and even knows about those things that we don't like (or, are not used to) admitting to ourselves; like the true motivation behind the things we do.  It's good to give ourselves heart check-ups from time to time, to make sure that even the "good" that we are doing is done with the right intention.  The New Year is a great time to do a heart check-up.