Life was a lot simpler when I used to suck my thumb. No worries, no doubt, nothing to insure. But when a young life needed some soothing, one mouth and a little thumb worked their pacifying magic.

Unfortunately, society frowns upon adults resorting to the same tactic.

As adults, we have many ways of soothing ourselves when life gets the better of us. Comfort foods and retail therapy. Perhaps drugs and alcohol when the meatloaf and the new pair of boots you didn’t really need don’t do the trick.

So much of what we turn to in times of emotional discomfort lies outside of us in hopes the external will somehow placate the internal.

My personal quest towards pacifying my own insecurities and uncertainties always leads me back to myself. It’s a lesson I’ve learned and re-learned, and I suspect life will make it necessary to re-learn it yet again.

The lesson is glorious in it’s simplicity; inside of each of us is a peace, a divine peace. And when we reconnect to who we really are, we are reconnecting with that divine peace.

The thumb sucking infant’s peace is self-contained. Just the child’s mouth and a thumb. For us, the good news is our peace is already resting within us as well.

Life can be cruel if we let it. Blind hopes and misguided expectations eventually distort our vision of our truest self as we entrust our self-worth and value to a material world and it’s ever-fluid definition of happiness.

That doesn’t leave much time for peace.

Our ability to self-soothe requires us to stop periodically and reflect upon our own divinity, to remember who it is we really are.  Our thoughts, not our thumbs, can bring us back in alignment with that divinity. Each of us is divine creation embodied with a unique collection of talents, gifts, and abilities to offer to the world. Creation is inherently peaceful, and embracing this divine tranquility is the ultimate source of lasting comfort and peace.

Much more enjoyable than sucking your thumb.

It’s a great day to be you!