I grew up on a hill, our house was in the middle of it, so either way I climbed. Now hill is relative I guess, but the hills where I lived are a little steep, but they didn't kill you to climb them.
When I saw this picture by Deborah Zajac I knew I had to blog it, because we all struggle with the future. We want to know what is on the other side of the bend in the road. Even if you travel that road daily, things are always changing. Unfortunately, as humans, we are always expecting that something bad is waiting for us. Unfortunately, most of us don't prepare for things we may face so they aren't shocking or overwhelming. Instead we try to figure out what it is, when it is going to happen, what can we do to prevent it, we try to see into the future. Life isn't like that - take it from someone who knows. You don't know what is around that corner, no one does. So rather than visiting soothsayers (which I have multitude of times in the past), prepare yourself now to be ready for anything. Gird up the loins of your heart and mind.
Find out what you KNOW. You've heard Oprah talk about that, knowing what you know. You've heard your own “still small voice” whisper what is ahead. We have all ignored it to peril. I have learned – listen to the voice – even if it is minute. If I see any little thing and I think “You know, this or that can happen if that stays like that.” I do my best to change the situation, because 9 times out of 10 this or that does happen and I am kicking myself for not listening to my small voice.
Here is something else I know, if you don’t like something in someone, it is because you have those same characteristics yourself and you don’t like seeing them mirrored back at you. So that is another example of the still small voice telling you – change it. You cannot now or ever make someone else change. Only you can change. So when you see something you don’t like in a person, your spouse, your partner, your child, a friend, etc. chances are you do the same thing but you don’t even notice it.
So rather than pray that the person change and conform to your ideals, write down what you don’t like, but write it this way on a sheet of paper (#1): I don’t like it when does (behavior). Then write on another sheet of paper (#2) write the same sentence but this way: I don’t like it when I do (enter same behavior). Now, when you are done, throw away sheet #1, and you have a list of what you need to work on in your own life. When you work on becoming a better person, rather than wishing someone else was different, guess what – you become a better person and you are more tolerant of others. Funny how it works that way.
I don’t wonder what is around the bend anymore. I have learned it could be something wonderful, something horrific, or something benign. BUT more importantly I have learned whatever it is, I can deal with it and I will survive. It is just one day, one step, one heartbeat at a time. There is NO way of knowing what lies ahead, so live for this moment. The future will take care of itself, as they say.
Peace - KB
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