Thursday, July 31, 2008

What If Nothing Is What It Seems?

Have you noticed how certain everyone is about what they think, what they believe? How do you feel about that? Are you open to new ideas or are you unwilling to crack that door even 1/8 of inch? What if?

What the heck are you talking about, Lynda? Well, I don't know for sure, but I have seen a change in myself lately. I used to be 100% about what is "right" and how things should be. Life has done an amazing number on me and I know I am now more open. Open to possibilities, open to differences, open to be WRONG (gasp!), open to new experiences, open to others having control, and open to being open.

Now, don't get me wrong - I haven't been a close-minded biddy, but have had a strong sense of what is "right" for a goodly portion of my life. Then, I realized, what I thought was "right" was how I was raised, or what I did, or my family did... who am I to say this is right for others?

We need boundaries, we need a game plan, a pattern to start our lives. The problem is, we can close our boundaries, set the game up so that only we are the "winners," and never alter the pattern to fit life.

Life is so much different than how we begin it...boundaries keep us on course when we're younger and growing - helps us not venture into self-destructive choices, game plans - making choices - do you want what's under the box, or what Carol Merrill is hiding behind Door #3? Choosing one or the other will affect everything else going forward. That's where the "planning" part comes in. We learn to consider options, weigh them out, anticipate the outcome, and move forward. Thus, the pattern alters as we go. If we are open to the changes, the outcome can be something amazing.

So, what am I saying? I'm saying perhaps there ISN'T one spiritual belief that is right, perhaps there are people who make this world a better place by not having a conventional job and family, perhaps it's good to swim against the tide or stand up for something. Perhaps it's good to just sit down and be quiet. Perhaps those who go with the, "it is what it is" idea are on to something.

While I find myself falling into my old ruts often, I am finding myself being "in the moment" more and more lately. It's a good place to be. I cannot manipulate everything to work as I want to - nope, it just doesn't work for me - and believe me, I have spent decades trying. Now, when I go with the flow, it seems the flow is delivering me closer to where I have wanted to end up all along.

So, is nothing what it seems? or is everything what it is? Perception. I am releasing, letting go, letting God, and enjoying life in the now.

Tomorrow will take care of itself.

10 comments:

gary rith said...

ah, perceptions, yes...

Aunt Julie said...

Lynda. I might be one of the peeps your opining about. My favorite quote? "Question Authority"!

Janet said...

I really enjoyed this post. I'm usually one for live and let live. I don't want to push my opinions onto others and I don't want them to push theirs onto me. I tend to be fairly open minded about most things. I think you're right when you say that many of the things we believe are just things our family believed and then handed down to us. That doesn't make it right! It's just more of a heritage than a truism.

Thanks for talking about this subject.

Melissa B. said...

What is it that Annie says? "The sun will come up, tomorrow." Do you believe that perception is 99 percent of reality? I'm a glass is half-full person on that, I think. BTW, Tara. R. is "guesting" for Take Another Look Thursday--please come on by and check it out!

Wep said...

I struggle with this often. I am definately your type A personality with a capital A, boldface and in 128 pt font. I have a really good friend who listens to my struggles and then tries to convince me to just let things happen.

There are so many things we can control now, with modern medicine, technology, etc. But sometimes, what you think is right is actually wrong, and what is wrong is actually right. And the next day it could be completely different.

I really enjoyed this post. I love when blogs make me think

Minnesota Matron said...

We live on the same wavelength.

Ronnica said...

I definitely agree that we all need to be more open. However, for the life of me, I can't figure out how two contradicting things could ever both be right.

MissKris said...

I would say that getting ready to turn 50 has something to do with what you're feeling. When we reach the half-century mark, when we realize we're no longer 'young' - young at heart, but not 'young' - and, like in my case, where both my parents are now gone, friends around our age are beginning to die, all of a sudden we begin not questioning life so much, but realizing there's a lot more to it than the narrow parameters we set up a long time ago. We form 'habits'. We form 'opinions'. We loathe coming out of our 'comfort zone'. But there's so much more OUT THERE if we only open our eyes and our minds to it. We're never too old to change or learn.

Melissa B. said...

BTW, don't forget today's Silly Sunday Sweepstakes!! I've got a SWEET snap for you to caption!

Susan Carlin said...

I admire this opening and questioning and rethinking that you're doing. So many of us who are around your age (just 53 here) are doing the same. It has felt just a bit like it did at the end of high school when I was excited about what came next without really being sure what that would be. Thank you for visiting and commenting... and for leading me here.

 
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