Twos and Needs

At their best Twos model for us all their capacity to love unconditionally with generosity and empathy. They hear and heed the call from others to “mend my life”. Under stress, however, Twos can become over involved in the lives of others and begin to look to them for validation of their own worthiness. We all have a bit of Two in us, experimenting with our boundaries and balancing our own needs with those of others. What do you need right now? What is one small step that you could take today to nurture yourself, to “save your own life”?

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One day you finally knew

what you had to do, and

began,

though the voices around you

kept shouting

their bad advice --

though the whole house

began to tremble

and you felt the old tug

at your ankles.

"Mend my life!"

each voice cried.

But you didn't stop.

You knew what you had to

do,

though the wind pried

with its stiff fingers

at the very foundations,

though their melancholy

was terrible.

It was already late

enough, and a wild night,

and the road full of fallen

branches and stones.

But little by little,

as you left their voice behind,

the stars began to burn

through the sheets of clouds,

and there was a new voice

which you slowly

recognized as your own,

that kept you company

as you strode deeper and

deeper

into the world,

determined to do

the only thing you could do --

determined to save

the only life that you could

save.

- The Journey, by Mary Oliver

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