Lao Tzu, the great Taoist philosopher, said, "The way to do is to be." And Emerson, the great American philosopher, said, "Who you are speaks so loudly, I can't hear what you are saying." It is useful at times to collect ourselves, to gather ourselves together in self-inquiry and silent recognition: Who is this person we are anyway? How are we feeling about ourself right now? Do we like ourself? Do we like spending time with this person we are? Would we rather be somebody else? Collecting oneself means standing on our own two spiritual feet, making our peace with who and what we are. We can accept ourselves very simply right here and right now and be happy that we are who we are— that we're not somebody else; we can release all of our self-regrets. Why not be this person we already are? Why postpone our arrival into full-blown personhood?