“Two men looked thru’ prison
bars,
One saw mud, and one saw stars.”
There is a lot of truth in the contention
that we create the world we live in. And I’m not talking about the obvious
fact that the type of world we have, whether on the local or
global scale, is very much a result of the corporate doings of
those who inhabit it. I’m referring rather to the way in
which our attitudes and actions not only colour our inner world
but bring about a perception of our surroundings, and elicit
reactions from others that can either uplift or depress us. “Laugh
and the world laughs with you; weep and you weep alone”.
That at least is the perception, the way it appears, it can also
be a reality we bring about by the way we act and present ourselves.
There is the classic contrast of the
pessimist and optimist looking at the same reality, “My glass is half empty”,
says one. “Mine is half full,” replies the other.
In one of his meditations, Anthony de Mello writes as follows:
“When you are in love you find yourself
looking at everyone with new eyes; you become generous, forgiving,
kind-hearted,
where before you might have been hard, and mean. Inevitably people
begin reacting to you in the same way and soon you find yourself
living in a loving world that you yourself have created. Or think
of the time you were in a bad mood and found yourself becoming
irritable, mean, suspicious, even paranoid. The next thing you
knew everyone was reacting to you in a negative way and you found
yourself living in a hostile world created by your head and your
emotions”. (from 'Called to Love')
We can do something about all this. We’re
not condemned by fate to be either positive or negative. We
have options. There
are choices we can make.
What is most needed is not more determination
and effort but to understand. Understand what? Understand the
truth of what
is being asserted here, and choose to “count our blessings” rather
than our misfortunes. Feed your mind on negativity and your burden
grows heavier. Choose to be grateful for the good things you
have and watch your resurrection begin. It’s the best way
to celebrate Easter and the presence of Spring!
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