4/22/12

Mirror, Mirror

Life lends itself to interaction with the masses of fellow-strugglers (family members, co-workers). They have shortcoming that annoy us. Their accomplishments rear the green-eyed jealousy monster in us.

Others are mirrors reflecting us to us. Their irritating flaws reveal our own untended ways. Their glaring success nags at our own unheeded potential.

Dislike the image. When someone irritates us and we want to fix them, it is an echo of our own unfinished business. Their glaring foibles reflect our own deficiencies.

Like draws to like. Like a magnet we draw to us what we are, not what we want to be. Courage draws to courage. Success draws to success. Dysfunction draws to dysfunction. Whether moral or immoral, legal or illegal, when another’s action matches your action there is harmony, understanding, agreement. You have found a friend, a companion. Depending on the non-verbal contract you have found a cynic with which to commiserate and wallow in the mud – or you have found a comrade with which to overcome and scale summits.

Like the image. Become friends with the image you see in your mirror every day. Accept who you are, blemishes and all. You are more than your looks, more than your hair, more than your clothes, more than your shape, more than your job, more than your possessions, more than your education, more than your accomplishments – you are more. You are a human being; a human becoming.

As you choose to lower your defenses, something mysterious happens. The offensiveness in others also begins to dissolve. Their defensiveness is lessened. As you relax with you, the world relaxes around you. As you stop trying to fix others and work on your own locus of control, you become congruent with the real you. As you like you, others respond in kind.

Compassionate toward the image. As we grow and overcome our own shortcomings a shift occurs in our view of others. As you see triumphs in self, develop empathy toward the one still struggling. Use this as a springboard to see their undeveloped potential. Come along side as a mentor.

Life lends itself to interaction with the masses of fellow-strugglers. In the midst of the hustle and bustle of life, make time to reflect on who you are. The real you is enough.

God does not make junk. He made you a unique and special individual, with infinite worth and value and sporting a designer label.

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