A man is sitting on a bench and says to a friend who drops by, “Hey, see that guy over there? He’s the laziest person I’ve ever seen. He’s done nothing but sit on that bench for the last three hours.”

 ”How do you know that?” asks his friend.

“I’ve been sitting here watching him the whole time!”

It’s so easy to see someone else’s faults and shortcomings – but not our own, isn’t it?

In the world of healing and personal growth, self-reflection and self-awareness is an essential skill.

The great Rabbi — the Baal Shem Tov, used to teach in the 18th century, that “the world is a mirror.”

If you see something that is distasteful to you, you must look inside yourself to see what part of you the world is reflecting back.

Though this route is sometimes painful, it is the most direct way to personal freedom and happiness.

In body and soul,

 Neil F. Neimark, M.D.