NOVEMBER 19, 2021
CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK AT THINGS
How do you see things? Isn’t it great that we are not all the same with our opinions and perspectives? (Thank God we are all unique) Yes, we are all children of God, fully human, biased, prejudiced, bigoted, and maybe even a little racist at times. Don’t go judging others though, because they have their own experiences, opinions and fears to navigate. Use some respect here.
“How do you see yourself?” As an individual or part of a group? It is human nature to “want” to belong to a group or tribe. From a personal standpoint, many of us travel through life with that unfulfilled need to be loved, accepted, nourished, coddled, praised, pampered, spoiled, indulged, humored, rewarded, catered to, nursed, favored, welcomed, credited, and believed. (I could go on and on as to what we all “think” we need) Each of us sees something of our own biases and perspectives, based on our own life experiences. Only when you can get out of yourself and study others based on THEIR circumstances and experiences, (Relate) do you begin to understand that we are all different based on our memory of our own good and bad experiences. How do you see things?
Aristotle reminds us that our senses are notoriously unreliable but our cumulative experiences can allow us to distinguish patterns. So, when we ask the question, “How do you see things?” one must understand WHO is responding or WHO are you asking? I personally like to ask those who I think have good life experiences (Wisdom) but more importantly, those with “common sense.” We all carry around “memories of how WE were treated (Good or Bad), what success and failures we each had in our lives and how we reacted to those experiences. That becomes “Our Truth.”
I will close today’s remarks with what Aristotle identifies as the highest level of being. That is “Beauty, Goodness, and Unity.”” He says; “beauty engenders love which is held as the highest virtue, the driving unifying force.” Aristotle relates, “if all people competed for the beautiful, and strained to do the most beautiful things, everything people need in common, and the greatest good for each participant, would be achieved.” I love this saying because a beautiful life is not egotistical, but concerns itself with friendship and the common good, the highest fulfillment for a human being in this life. (Loving thy neighbor)
How do you see yourself? Are you self-aware of what your vision is for your life and those that you love? Yes, you may have personal goals along with the drive and the motivation to be successful. But at what cost are you living your life? Is money, power, and success more important than your soul? I hope not because you are valuable, not only to God but to others and yourself. How you see things generally, will show what your priorities are in life. Work hard to make them about others. It will be a beautiful thing, a good thing, and a unifying thing to embrace.
Elevator Guy
Quote for the Day: “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” Wayne Dyer