Life Is A Four Letter Word

Life Is A Four Letter Word

Hey, wait a minute! So is love, pain, fear, hurt, evil, mind, body, soul, self, core, fate, fail, down, tear, less, soul, mate, need…..AGHHH!

If you can get past yourself, even for brief moments of time, you can then take the first steps to living a better life. But, until you learn to “walk the walk” and “talk the talk”, you may find yourself continuously left out in the cold. This means you need to look deep down inside the very core of your soul, and drag those demons out, one by one.

For "smart and educated" people, we sure have an innate ability to run and hide from truths that hurt.  A clear conscience can pave the way to a contented mind, body and soul.  So why do we continue to hide from our pain and fear, and yet at the same time, work arduously at identifying and criticizing it in others? One simple answer – it is so much more difficult to face issues of our own than it is to face the issues/demons of someone else.

First, we need to recognize that we are indeed, less than perfect. Speak it out loud; “I am not perfect today, I was not perfect yesterday, and I most likely will fall short again tomorrow. Forgive me, for I am human. Whatever pain or evil lives inside of us needs to be addressed and confronted. Yes, I said confronted; and yes I know it hurts. Yet the more clutter we can clear from our mind the easier it becomes to let go and get on with the process of living. The longer we blame others for our weaknesses, the longer we are doomed to living only half a life.

You can never truly love another until you love yourself.  How do you even begin a journey so real and so frightening?  You have two options here – you can either bury your head in the sand or you can stand up and face yourself directly in the mirror.  Reflect on your less than stellar moments, be they big or small.  We all have them – words we wish we could take back and actions we are so deeply ashamed of we can barely mention them to ourselves never mind to someone else.

First, find absolution and forgive yourself.  This doesn’t mean that what you did (or sometimes didn’t do) is right; it merely means we are all human and we all make, and will continue to make, mistakes. Often time we direct our gaze upon those around us as a way to deflect blame or fault.  In professional jargon, this is knows as projecting.  Trust me when I tell you, this is not the road you want to travel. Also, we can all claim some degree of expertise when we lose ourselves in our reading or writing and pretend for brief moments to forget our own trials and tribulations. Ahh, the sheer comfort we find in analyzing those around us.

Pretending to be better or above another is one of the biggest stumbling blocks you will encounter in the road to fulfillment.  Oh yes, going around or climbing over this block will allow you to continue on your way, but it will not let you travel very far. You need to destroy (address) this block of shame, and then move on. Continuing to choose the wrong direction and ignoring road blocks along the way can result in a very long journey indeed.

Sure, there will always be folks a whole lot worse than you, but we aren’t talking about them right now, we are talking about you. If we fail to address our own actions first, we have no right (or ability) to suggest ways for others to make life choices that we ourselves are incapable or unwilling to face. Might it be true that we are indeed, our own worst enemy?

STOP RIGHT NOW!!

You are not, and never will be, any better than, or above, anyone else.  Obviously, this “anyone else” is not to be confused with child molesters, child abusers, wife beaters; well, you get my drift, right?

If and when you are able to look in the mirror and not feel a moment of shame or pin prick of remorse, then, and only then, are you qualified to turn that corner and truly continue down life’s long and often time interesting journey. That moment of perfection will never come in your life, for none of us is, nor ever will be, perfect.  We can however, breath a deep sigh of relief as we realize we can be better tomorrow than we are today. That potential lives within all of us.

Don’t beat yourself up over your human failings, they are a part of life and will continue to be an issue as we travel this great highway of life.  But, if you are willing to self-analyze your words and actions, and work on become a better person, you will find a comfort you have never felt before. Your will breathe easier and deeper.  You will find more joy in the small things and learn to smile with sincerity.
Accept yourself as you are, but never give up your quest to make yourself a better and kinder person.  The world around you will thank you.