In this 11-second video my fifth grandchild experiences his first bite of solid food & turns up his nose. Then his mom makes him laugh. Will his subconscious record that experiencing bad tastes can become fun?

   Are we our truest selves as babies? Does the pulse of society confuse who we are?

   Sydney Lumet spoke for millions when he said, "Everything conspires to crush our individuality."

   Society grounds our survival on our ability to pretend to like the dislikable. Indeed, to love our enemies.  

   The majority defines tastes. It will drown individuals at odds with it & thus pollute some of our most creative streams.

   How do we preserve our unique voices?

   My brilliantly profoundly caring writing partner lives in far off California. Mission leader Liz Wessel & I have met only twice in ten years. We rarely know the content each other's essays prior to publication.

   Nevertheless, we often hit the same topic simultaneously. Her last weekend essay touched individuality, the same subject I address here.

   Liz quotes Yevtushenko, "The most beautiful aching work of this world is to be yourself."

   We do not have to sell the complexity of our souls to meet every simple shout for conformity. We can keep the light illuminated in the rooms of our individuality. 

   How?

   Some caregivers think Radical Loving Care calls us to sacrifice the voice of our needs to meet the needs of another. But caring for others also requires self care. Love holds both truths. 

   We can preserve the sacredness of our secret voices by honoring them. 

-Erie Chapman

video of my 5th grandchild by his mom.