We always think that life will be perfect when this happens or that happens. When do we never just sit back and think about life being perfect just the way it is? A complete surrender of everything is very hard considering we are constantly told we are not good enough. Our social media, cosmetic ads or advertising in general completely trigger this sense of unworthyness even on a subconscious level.
Many have seen the drawing of what success looks like ideally and in real life. On one side, it depicts success as a goal forming a straight line to the the end game. On the other side, the image shows what success really looks like with all the of struggles and obstacles that it takes to get there. The graphic is humorous because that’s exactly how we think life works. We want something and there is a straight line in getting there.
People die, illness happens or the goals completely change in our journey of achieving certain goals. How do we show up to these obstacles? Do we accept them as obstacles or do we accept them as part of our journey? It is nessesary to have things come up along the way because life never pauses. It keeps going, regardless.
How many times have we needed to go to the grocery store for one thing and ended up with a cart full of stuff, ran into an old friend and discovered that we need gas? This is literally every time I would go to Wal-Mart. This is life, isn’t it? There are no straight lines in life. Everything is a wiggly lines that winds, bends, twists, turns and loops. The thing that matters the most is how we show up to the obstacles.
Do I tell my friend that I was just in for one thing so I can talk because I’m on a rigid, linear path? No. I engage in a conversation about their kids, their jobs or what is going on in my life. Did I ‘need’ all of the extra things that I put in my cart? No, but I happily purchased them anyway. Do I get frustrated because my vehicle needs gas? No, because how will I make it home with my purchases if I have no gas?
Disruptions will happen and I will be distracted. I am of a world that is made of distractions and they are large, heartbreaking distractions to minor distractions like a Facebook notification on my phone. How much attention I give to them is up to me. A distraction is just a detail along the journey. Let the waves become large but soak up all that water. You won’t forget it.