Inner Child Healing After Deconstruction

Cartoon description: In the first “belief” is in a cup. In the second the cup is in a body of water called post-belief.

I don’t like when people mock religious people. When someone says, “Look at these crazy believers!”, I think to myself: that was me once. It’s harmful to treat our earlier selves with contempt. You wouldn’t be who you are now if you weren’t who you were then.

Appreciate your roots.

We don’t expect our children to be spiritually mature as soon as they’re born. We respect their development and delight in their version of being spiritual. We don’t mock their choices. We love their growth. I’m a smart person. I was smart back then too. I take agency for my former selves. I did that because I chose to. That was me! I won’t shame my former selves from a supposedly superior position now because those former selves are a part of my story. And I promise myself that in the future I won’t look back at who I am now with disdain either.

I’m at peace and happy.

Sure, there are things that I no longer believe or say or do now, but I’m not ashamed. There are things I’m sorry for, but I won’t drown in remorse. 

I marvel at myself.
I do what needs to be done.
I move on.

When you share your journeys, to me they are lovely. They are so diverse and beautiful. Do you see that? This is how our inner child grows into an adult - when they are loved, embraced, accepted, affirmed, validated, and given space.

Love yourself from beginning to end. Love your whole life. This is how growth happens.

I think this print, Carrying My Inner Child to Safety is a perfect illustration of this. It was originally a commision for Rebecca but it was loved by so many that I turned it into a print. What do you think?