Independent

…it’s crucial to remain independent of both the positive and negative opinions of other people. Regardless of whether they love or despise us, if we make their assessments more important than our own, we’ll be greatly afflicted. ~ Dyer, Wayne (2007-07-31). Change Your Thoughts – Change Your Life: Living the Wisdom of the Tao 

Ladders or pedestals.
It’s odd how often
compulsive eaters
in recovery describe
their tiers of society.
Some above, some below,
but nobody aligned with us.
We fear the disdain
of our supposed betters,
pour our own on lessers,
and live in isolation,
lonely, forlorn, hopeless.
Oh, how much joy
is there to be found
in discovering tiers
to be figments of our minds,
to learn we’re all alike,
all different, not to be disdained,
none to be envied, all to be loved,
and we’re treated that way.
And finally we learn to treat the rest
as we wish to be treated,
and we leave their improvement
to them, satisfied we have enough
to think of ourselves
and how we can grow
to gain more insights,
more joy, more serenity.

pillars