be yourself

i dug out nouwen's bread for the journey again and read all the way to january 17 yesterday. he writes:

"often we want to be somewhere other than where we are, or even to be someone other than who we are. we tend to compare ourselves constantly with others and wonder why we are not as rich, as intelligent, as simple, as generous, or as saintly as they are. such comparisons make us feel guilty, ashamed, or jealous. it is very important to realize that our vocation is hidden in where we are and who we are. we are unique human beings, each with a call to realize in life what nobody else can, and to realize it in the concrete context of the here and now.

"we will never find our vocations by trying to figure out whether we are better or worse than others. we are good enough to do what we are called to do. be yourself!