In Keeping
With last week’s discussion on whether it is selfish to want to date as a parent, we had some input that we need to have adult relationships in order to refill our own cups. In keeping with that, I’m posting a great quote from Dr. Dan Johnston that my friend Bob came across:
“Suppose that you are the only adult caring for a group of young children. You raise all your food and only have a small amount. At mealtime, in an effort to take good care of the children, you give them most of the food and you eat very little. Over time you become weaker and weaker, but you keep feeding the children the same amount. Eventually when you are too weak to work, who will feed the children? No one! Now all will perish because you neglected yourself. What should you do? You should eat the same as or perhaps more than the children to keep your strength up and ensure that you can continue to care for them. Don’t neglect others by neglecting yourself. Love yourself and then you can love your neighbor. Don’t lose your self-worth. Each day make sure that you take care of yourself so that you will be able to take care of your neighbor.
Does this make you selfish? No. It makes you responsible.
They give and give to others until they give out and then collapse into a depression. Once depressed they cannot help themselves or anyone else.”
Self-worth is what you’re born with, self-esteem is an evaluation of how you’re doing compared to others.
Self-worth and self-respect should remain constant as a lighthouse, where self-esteem is dynamic, changing with every success or failure.
“The reality is that loving your neighbor as yourself begins with you. You must love and value yourself if you are to love others. You have to respect yourself and acknowledge your own self-worth. You must take care of yourself so that you can love and help your neighbor.”
by Dan Johnston Ph.D.
Please remember to take care of yourselves, parents!!
Happy Dating! 
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