Do You Mind? Or Do You Matter?

Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind.          ~Dr. Seuss

I love quotes.  Sometimes, other people can say things much more eloquently than I can.  I’ve been thinking about the above quote…a lot… for the last few weeks and wondering if it’s true or not.  I’m thinking that it sounds good on paper, but really, I think it’s really easy to “matter” and still “mind.”

If you’ve managed in life to never get your feelings hurt by someone you care about, raise your hand.  That’s what I thought.  I think it’s very easy to speak your mind to those who do matter and have them mind.  So, if they do mind, does that mean that person doesn’t matter?  Or does it mean you really shouldn’t really speak your mind to some people or about some things because people will mind?

My self-esteem and self-worth have taken a bit of a beating recently by some things that were said.  So, that above quote has been rattling around in my brain.  I’d like to think that I matter and that I just happened to mind too.  I repeat, that’s what I would LIKE to think.  Maybe not what I’m feeling just yet. 

I have written and rewritten the remainder of this blog entry three times now. The two previous attempts have left me sounding horribly depressed and rambling.  I can’t say I’m still not rambling, but I am not horribly depressed.  Really, Mom…I’m not. 

That said, I do have feelings.  I wear my heart on my sleeve sometimes. And the downside of that is that when my feelings get hurt, boy do they get hurt.

I’m glad I have people in my life who help me remember that I DO matter.  Thank you for that!