Is it in inches?  Accomplishments?  Pounds?  Number of children?  Years married?  Diet choices?  Miles ran?  Miles traveled?  Degrees accomplished?  Job title?  Devotion to God?  Cheeks turned?  Concerts witnessed?  Art exhibits encountered?  Tribulations overcome?

How do you measure yourself?

As a young child, we compared ourselves to the fastest, the most popular, the smartest.

As an adolescent, the coolest- however, we defined that.

As a teenager, those we found our identity with- those with common values.

As a young adult- we struggled.  Was it our friends from the past?  Faith?  Parents? Partners?  The parents of our partners?  Our co-workers?

As a young parent- our parents?  Family?  Other young parents?  Other experienced parents?

As an older adult- Our God.  Our partner.  Our loved ones.  Ourselves.

We grow, we evolve and the ways in which we measure ourselves change, if only we allow it to be so.

We no longer look to the fastest, smartest and coolest- the skinniest, the most devout, or the most traveled.

We look inside ourselves to find the essence of our unique us.

We seek acceptance.  At first, by others but over time, by ourselves.

And in that, we find our place and happiness.

Cheers to what makes you, uniquely, you.