The Rice Ball Philosophy

It's easy to be jealous of someone for what they have or what they can do, that is the good qualities in a person. I find myself in that position often. I don't retain a lot of what I learn or what I experience in life for some unknown reason, so my childhood memories are difficult and sometimes impossible to remember. The ones that I do remember are usually painful. For this reason, I often see myself as stupid or inadequate. When we feel this way, it's easy to just give up on ourselves and idolize those who have what we wish we had. But think of it this way.

Everyone is a rice ball.
We all have different tastes and different ingredients, but we're all essentially made of the same stuff.
Rice.

On the back of every rice ball, there's something special. A piece of salmon, an onion, or even a delicious plum. The only problem is where it's located, right on our backs. When we're surrounded by other rice balls, it's easy for us to see the special ingredients inside of them. They are visible to us and we admire the amazing flavor they must have. We think, "Look at me. I'm so plain. Why would anyone like an empty ball of rice?" In actuality, we might have a plum stuck to our backs. We just don't see it, unless another rice ball told us so.

The same goes for people. Everyone has good qualities, whether they know it or not. When we are with our family and our friends, their qualities are often easy to see because of what kind of person they are. We may even be jealous of their talents because they're so admirable. We may think, "I'm so boring. What makes a person like that even want to be around a person like me?" But guess what? While you don't even know it, they probably feel the same way about themselves. If you help someone by showing them the admirable qualities they possess, they'll probably want to tell you yours, too. You just have to be open to hear it and believe it.

It's quite ironic, actually. Most people say that in order to get along well with others, you have to build a better view of yourself first. I think that's all backwards. It's because of the people you surround yourself with - good people that see the good in you - that you grow in your self-confidence. It's because of your friends that see you for who you are better than you do that you become a better person yourself. They can see your plum.

I can see it, too.
A big one.
Right there.
On your back.

All you have to do is believe it.