As I Began to Love Myself – Self Love Poem by Charlie Chaplin (o no*)

As I began to love myself I found that anguish and emotional suffering
are only warning signs that I was living against my own truth.
Today, I know, this is “AUTHENTICITY”.

As I began to love myself I understood how much it can offend somebody
As I try to force my desires on this person, even though I knew the time
was not right and the person was not ready for it, and even though this
person was me. Today I call it “RESPECT”.

As I began to love myself I stopped craving for a different life,
and I could see that everything that surrounded me was inviting me to grow.
Today I call it “MATURITY”.

As I began to love myself I understood that at any circumstance,
I am in the right place at the right time, and everything happens
at the exactly right moment. So I could be calm.
Today I call it “SELF-CONFIDENCE”

As I began to love myself I quit steeling my own time,
and I stopped designing huge projects for the future.
Today, I only do what brings me joy and happiness, things I love to do
and that make my heart cheer, and I do them in my own way and in
my own rhythm. Today I call it “SIMPLICITY”.

As I began to love myself I freed myself of anything that is no good for
my health – food, people, things, situations, and everything that drew
me down and away from myself. At first I called this attitude
a healthy egoism. Today I know it is “LOVE OF ONESELF”.

As I began to love myself I quit trying to always be right, and ever since
I was wrong less of the time. Today I discovered that is “MODESTY”.

As I began to love myself I refused to go on living in the past and worry
about the future. Now, I only live for the moment, where EVERYTHING
is happening. Today I live each day, day by day, and I call it “FULFILLMENT”.

As I began to love myself I recognized that my mind can disturb me
and it can make me sick. But As I connected it to my heart, my
mind became a valuable ally. Today I call this
connection “WISDOM OF THE HEART”.

We no longer need to fear arguments, confrontations or any kind of problems
with ourselves or others. Even stars collide, and out of their crashing
new worlds are born.Today I know THAT IS “LIFE”!

Charlie Chaplin

(*)

He rebut via Facebook aquest poema, que em sembla preciós, atribuit a Charlie Chaplin. Tot i això, no he trobat referències a Internet sobre la seva autoria.

Per aquest motiu decideixo fer la consulta a la pàgina oficial de Charlie Chaplin i la seva amable i ràpida resposta ha estat aquesta:

Dear Consol,

There are two texts circulating in many different translations called « Letter to my daughter » and «  when I began to love myself »  supposedly written by Chaplin.  The Chaplin office receives many enquiries about them every year, and even requests for permission to publish them. 

 These texts were NOT written by Charlie Chaplin.   We have recently found on the internet, but this may not be true either (!) that about 30 years ago Farajollah Saba an Iranian journalist wrote the “letter to my daughter”  for an Iranian magazine under the title  “Fantasy” but the publisher forgot to include the “Fantasy” title above the letter.   So this may be the correct explanation for Letter to my Daughter. 

As for When I began to love myself… we currently have no explanation.

Best regards

Però com diuen els italians, si non e vero e ben trovato ; )