I see your beauty, even if you don't.

I used to think Ram Dass was an idiot. I went to cover him for the school newspaper once, in college. The crowd was made up entirely of Baby Boomers who clearly just worshipped, worshipped this man. I thought, What is wrong with these people? He's just stating the obvious. Now that I'm older, I kind of relate more to the stating of the obvious. And I'm warming up to Ram Dass.

I read this quote from him today in my favorite magazine, the Sun (which was also his favorite magazine, so there you go),

"Your problem is you're afraid to acknowledge your own beauty. You're too busy holding on to your own unworthiness. You'd rather be a schnook sitting before some great man. That fits in more with who you think you are. Well, enough already. I sit before you and I look and I see your beauty, even if you don't."

Good words.

I was older then. I'm younger than that now.

By the way, right now, this is happening next to me:


(Fireplace insert being installed. It is freezing in here. And noisy! I'm being here now, Mr. Dass. I swear. It's unpleasant.)