Beyond Narcissism
/Surviving the narcissists. Both without and within...
————
We may seek approval
But find only rejection
Chase fame
But find only anonymity
Pursue wealth
But know only poverty
Grasp at victory
But know only defeat
Aspire to love
But know only loneliness
When we look outward for validation and acceptance
We will be disappointed
For we do not control what others think of us
Nor what rewards they may choose to give or withhold
The world is filled with capriciousness and apathy
And increasingly with egotistical narcissism
Where people seek to fulfill their own desires
Without regard to the needs of others
Should we despair?
Should we surrender?
Should we join the narcissists and descend into self-flattery and conceit?
No
We may only find peace and happiness within ourselves
Not in the words and actions of others
But it is also true that, believing in our own inherent worth and beauty
We are empowered
Not to merely bask in our own internal glow
But to share a measure of that attainment with others
To give approval
Grant fame
Achieve victory
Share love
And in so doing
Expose the fatal flaw of the narcissists
Who, believing themselves the better of all
Isolate themselves to the one
Such exposure given not as a punishment
(The narcissists, being so isolated and alone, being deserving of our pity)
But rather as an affirmation that
Recognizing our own worth
And sharing it with others
Is the only true measure
Of warming
And surviving
What would otherwise be a cold, meaningless world
By Mike Turner
From: United States
Website: http://www.MikeTurnerSongwriter.com
Twitter: @SchoonerSkipper
Facebook URL: https://www.facebook.com/MikeTurnerSongwriter