PS...regarding the feather

I just picked up one of my favorite books, 

Simply Sane, by Gerald May, M.D., 

and was glancing through it while Sawyer naps.

On the very last page he's talking about gentleness with ourselves, and says:

You know what tenderness is.  

We all have experiences of gentleness and kindness. 

Think of something that makes you feel that way: 

perhaps being with a loved one who is suffering, or seeing a small child asleep--

whatever calls forth from you a feeling of warmth and tenderness or just simple caring. 

Feel that feeling. 

You can do that, almost without trying. 

It is a very familiar feeling, well known to you. 

Can you now, just for a moment, feel that way towards yourself?

I am not encouraging you to try to maintain a steady state of self-love, but simply

 to bring a little kindness toward yourself from time to time.

The feeling of kindness towards yourself will probably disappear quickly 

and be replaced by some old harsh rigidity. 

That is all right. 

When you think of it again, 

when it again is possible, 

you can recall it.

It's just in the instant, 

a little touch of gentleness, 

like a feather.

Nice, eh?