"We wait all these years
to find someone
who understands us,
I thought,
someone who accepts us as we are,
someone with a wizard's power
to melt stone to sunlight,
who can bring us happiness
in spite of trials,
who can face our dragons
in the night,
who can transform us
into the soul we choose to be.
Just yesterday
I found that magical Someone
is the face we see in the mirror:
It's us and our homemade masks."
-- Richard Bach
How many times have we said. 'yes,' when we wanted to say, 'no?' We want to please. We want to look good. We want to be helpful. We want to help others. We want to keep our job. Because ______. When we say, 'yes,' when we want to say 'no,' we are not pleased in the doing, but feel obligated. We do this often enough and instead of obligated, we feel troubled. We feel overwhelmed. I've been there many times. Each time it was my own doing, but that didn't change how it felt.
When I think I should do something when my current schedule or my current frame of mind isn't receptive, should becomes and obligation that carries a burden. There are so many 'should' messages. Of course, we want to please. We want to look good. We want to be helpful. We want to help others. We want to keep our job. Because _____. You know the drill.
It all comes down to wanting to be somewhere that we cannot, have more money than we do, wanting this instead of that. We become disappointed, weary, unhopeful, frustrated, and more.
Now here's a good question: When all of this is going on, where are we in time? Are we in the past? The future? We are absolutely NOT in the present. In the present, none of these issues exist. There are no problems, disappointments, issues that we cannot deal with.
That is all gobbledygook to most. I know that it is a challenge to live mostly in the present. I know because I practice it a lot. However, here's the really easy way to get there in a moment: Find something, anything, anyone to appreciate. Then expand that appreciation, then find another thing or person to appreciate, and keep appreciating. Become grateful and the way to become grateful is to appreciate.
Whatever peace of mind I have now, and it is light years ahead of where I was even just a few years ago, came from learning to appreciate everything that I possibly could--even things that some may consider 'bad' or negative. It automatically comes from the act of seeking things or people to appreciate.
Are you down? Find something or someone to appreciate, right now, this minute. No need to wait. Was it short-lived? Don't stop. Find another and just keep going. Can you learn to appreciate everything and everyone? I say, YES! Of course, it will keep you busy for a while and what the heck, you weren't really enjoying being overwhelmed or frustrated, were you?
I Am Never More Than On Thought Away From Joy, Appreciation, Love, Peace.
Spread Some Joy Today--Start an appreciation book. Make long lists. You'll stop making the lists at some point, but it is a good way to start.
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