This beautiful poem is by guest contributor, Iris Liebner, who kindly agreed to have her poem published on my blog. Thank you Iris 🙂

Some time ago, another artist gave me permission to use this photograph of her Blue Begonia painting. Thank you Claire 🙂

So here today, the works of a poet and an artist; unbeknown to most, yet full of heart. Both making a difference in the world by bringing beauty into the lives of others.

Remember it’s about you

If we have no expectations
we have no disappointments
and when you think about it
expectations are about us,
about our own neediness
they are not about the other person.

So next time you feel an expectation rising
rather than expecting to feed your insecurity
become aware of the need,
listen to the part of you that expects the other to satisfy you;
do not lay guilt trips on the other person because they failed
to satisfy your expectations.
(Remember it’s about you)
and love yourself a little more.
Listen to that small voice inside
and give yourself what you need…

Avoid starving that child part,
something that we do when we don’t listen
and feed ourselves with the wrong materials;
such is the nature of addiction…food, drugs, things, etc
thus suffocating our true selves.

Only from that caring place can we start truly receiving what others have to offer,
only then can we start to truly hear the other
because we see them
not as extensions of ourselves
but as who they truly are.
When we do that
we give them freedom
and in so doing,
we are free.

This awareness takes time…in the effort, we separate from the illusions and conditionings of the false self to discover who we are.

Iris Liebner
12 January 2014