Somebody I knew years ago said something to me I have never forgotten. It was this: Water seeks its own level. I actually didn’t understand it at first, but since then life has described it in full detail to me, one human being at a time. We all know someone who is relentlessly optimistic, whose experience here has not been without its share of challenges, but who seems to still maintain an inspiring outlook, smile in tact and goals not disrupted. They do not accept misery as the rule, but as the exception and therefore get back up on their journey toward happiness. Then there’s that other fella, Al B. Miserable. Man, is he an energy sucker. You walk away from him with your head spinning because his tight hold on how horrible things are is impenetrable. You cannot be of any help to Al because, as much as he complains, he doesn’t want an alternative outlook. In some ways, being miserable brings him feelings of safety. I know, seems like a difficult concept to grasp. I mean, who doesn’t want to feel better, be happier? There are lots of reasons people are not open to help, some of them quite legitimate. It’s when they become the obstruction to a better experience here, a better quality of life, when the real problem presents. You may say that this drive is determined by our chemistry, our biology or genes, if you will. You may say it is influenced by our previous experiences. Who knows? I suspect it’s different for everyone. So maybe it’s easy for some and difficult for others, but I don’t see either of these as a sentence to misery. It just might make some of us have to work a little harder. Good grief, who wants difficult? Easy is the modern sentiment, isn’t it? (OK, there goes some of my cynicism.) The thing is, you are the writer of how things end in your story. Difficult or not, you ultimately are the holder of the pen and the paper and you have the last word, not your problems, circumstances, obstacles or other people who rain on your parade. You can decide to stand on the periphery of the giant joy puddle it forms or you can jump right in. Either way, the water is rising....and waiting.
Friday, September 10, 2010
Happiness and misery are similar in that they will both wait as long as it takes for their seeker to find them.
Somebody I knew years ago said something to me I have never forgotten. It was this: Water seeks its own level. I actually didn’t understand it at first, but since then life has described it in full detail to me, one human being at a time. We all know someone who is relentlessly optimistic, whose experience here has not been without its share of challenges, but who seems to still maintain an inspiring outlook, smile in tact and goals not disrupted. They do not accept misery as the rule, but as the exception and therefore get back up on their journey toward happiness. Then there’s that other fella, Al B. Miserable. Man, is he an energy sucker. You walk away from him with your head spinning because his tight hold on how horrible things are is impenetrable. You cannot be of any help to Al because, as much as he complains, he doesn’t want an alternative outlook. In some ways, being miserable brings him feelings of safety. I know, seems like a difficult concept to grasp. I mean, who doesn’t want to feel better, be happier? There are lots of reasons people are not open to help, some of them quite legitimate. It’s when they become the obstruction to a better experience here, a better quality of life, when the real problem presents. You may say that this drive is determined by our chemistry, our biology or genes, if you will. You may say it is influenced by our previous experiences. Who knows? I suspect it’s different for everyone. So maybe it’s easy for some and difficult for others, but I don’t see either of these as a sentence to misery. It just might make some of us have to work a little harder. Good grief, who wants difficult? Easy is the modern sentiment, isn’t it? (OK, there goes some of my cynicism.) The thing is, you are the writer of how things end in your story. Difficult or not, you ultimately are the holder of the pen and the paper and you have the last word, not your problems, circumstances, obstacles or other people who rain on your parade. You can decide to stand on the periphery of the giant joy puddle it forms or you can jump right in. Either way, the water is rising....and waiting.
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