One of the popular cartoons of my childhood era was "Popeye The Sailor Man". For those of you too young to know, or too old to remember let me tell you about Popeye. Popeye spent most of his time rescuing his girlfriend "Olive Oyl" and his buddy "Wimpy" (who uttered the famous line, "I will gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today") from the evil schemes of the cartoon nemesis, "Bluto".



Most of the segments followed a common theme. Bluto would capture Olive Oyl or Wimpy and Popeye would attempt to come to the rescue. Invariably, Bluto who was much bigger and stronger than Popeye would then proceed to beat the tar out of Popeye. Just when you thought old Popeye was done for and that evil was going to triumph over good, a can of spinach would appear (hey, it was TV) and Popeye would gulp down the spinach and become rejuvenated. (I think Vince McMahon and the World Wrestling Federation learned everything they know from this cartoon) After gulping down the spinach and flexing his now reinvigorated muscles, Popeye would utter his then famous line "I am what I am and that's all that I am. I am Popeye the sailor man!" He would then give a couple of toots on his corn-cob pipe and thump Bluto into submission, rescue his pals and the cartoon would come to another happy ending.

Forty years later, those words, "I am what I am, and that is all that I am" have come to take on a whole new and very profound meaning. Popeye knew who he was and accepted himself for what he was ? he acknowledged both his strengths and limitations. He didn't allow someone else's opinion of him to change the opinion he had of himself.

Sadly, most of us don't have Popeye's strength of character and self- assuredness. Most of us allow someone else's opinion of us (expressed or implied) to impact our own opinion of us.

When we do something stupid (and we all have done something stupid) ? and people call us stupid, we believe them.

When we fail at some task (and we all have) ? and people call us losers or failures, we believe them.

When someone lets us know that they think we aren't as good-looking; as strong or as smart as someone else, we believe them.

When someone lets us know that they think we "aren't cool" because we are wearing the wrong logo on our clothes or tennis shoes, driving the wrong kind of car, living in the wrong part of town or some other silly thing, we believe them.

Yes, we all have done some stupid things ? but that didn't make us stupid.

Because we also know we have done some smart things.

Yes, we all have failed at some things ? but that didn't make us a failure.

Because we also know we have succeeded at other things.

Yes, we are not as good-looking, as strong or smart as some ? but that doesn't make us ugly, weak or dumb.

Because we also know there are others who think we are good-looking, strong and smart.

Yes, sometimes we do wear less chic clothes, or drive a less exotic car or live in a less than perfect neighborhood, but that doesn't have anything to do with WHO