Life is filled with challenges and rewards, positive and negative experiences and emotional ups and downs. No matter how hard we try we are unable to escape the truth that we are human…that we need companionship…that we need to love and be loved.
Far too much time is spent on attempting to accentuate what we perceive as individual differences…time that would be far better spent acknowledging that which we have in common with others.
It’s acknowledgement that leads to understanding and understanding that leads to acceptance.
As a whole, an individual’s life experience is absolutely unique. Broken down into its elements however we must accept that there is nothing new under the sun.
It’s important, therefore, to get back to basics. Self-knowledge, understanding and acceptance is of only limited benefit if the information gathered and the lessons learned are not shared. Sharing and caring make the world a better place.
But if we feel the need to be heard then we we must embrace the need to both hear and listen. Individual experiences and challenges may have much in common. We all hurt and we all cause hurt whether deliberate or accidental.
We need coping skills and there is considerable variation from person to person in the methods used to get through each day. Some people do life better than others. But that’s no accident or a gift of nature. It takes effort and dedication.
Everyone of us can do better and we have much to learn from others just as we have much to learn from ourselves.
The world is a noisy place filled with distraction. The sooner we realise that will never change the better. It’s only then that we will be able to fully develop the emotional strength to take on board the fact that realisation does not have to become bland acceptance.
We have choices to make and we get opportunities to make those choices. We have to maintain awareness so those chances are not missed.
Gary Bentley Counselling 