Be authentically yourself and then you will know that you are special.
osho
God never repeats.
But you have always been taught to become somebody else.
'Become somebody else — the neighbour's son… become like the neighbour's son.
Look how intelligent he is. Look… that girl, how gracefully she walks. Be like that!'
You have always been taught to BE LIKE SOMEBODY ELSE.
Nobody has told you: BE YOURSELF, and be respectful to your being; it is God's gift.
Never imitate — that's what I say to you. Never imitate.
Be yourself — that much you owe to God.
Be yourself!
Be authentically yourself and then you will know that you are special.
God has loved you so much, that's why you are!
That's why you are in the first place, otherwise you would not have been.
It is indicative of his tremendous love for you.
But your specialness is not in comparison with anybody else, it is not that you are special in comparison to your neighbours, friends, your wife, husband.
You are simply special because you are alone.
You are the only person just like you.
In that respect, in that understanding, efforts to become special will disappear.
All your efforts to become special are like putting legs on a snake.
You will kill the snake.
You think… because of compassion you are putting legs on the snake. 'Poor snake, how will he walk without legs?'
Just as if the snake has fallen in the hands of a centipede. And the centipede has great compassion on the snake, he thinks 'Poor snake. I have one hundred legs and he has none. How will he walk? He needs at least a few legs.' And if he operates and puts a few legs on the snake he will kill the snake.
The snake is perfectly okay as he is, he need not have any legs.You are perfectly okay as you are. This is what I call respect towards one's own being.
And to respect oneself has nothing to do with ego, remember. To respect oneself is not self-respect.
To respect oneself is GOD'S respect!
It is to respect the creator, because you are just a painting — his painting.
Respecting the painting, you respect the painter.
Respect, accept, recognise, and all those foolish efforts to be special will disappear.
OSHO