"A number of years ago I was driving alone, on my way home from a meeting downtown. It was a sweltering day and I had no air conditioner in the car. I was hot and sweaty. I found myself thinking, 'Now if I had someone in the car, I'd stop and treat her to an ice cream cone.' It was a passing thought, nothing more. I kept right on driving — and sweating.

"Later, as I reflected on my day, that thought came back to me. 'If I had someone in the car....someone in the car....' I suddenly realized that I did have someone in the car: myself! Why, in heaven's name didn't I stop and treat myself to an ice cream cone? After all, I'm a person too! (And a pretty nice one, at that.) The incident spoke volumes to me about my lack of self-esteem during that particular period in my life. It was a time when I was doing all kinds of favors for others, but none whatsoever for myself."

To Practice: Treat yourself to something special today.

Melannie Svoboda in Rummaging for God