" Tolerate ... "

Try to see the way around you

I can't find it

Try to take the path behind me

Can't rewind it

Stick your finger in my face and

I will break it

Leave me with an after taste

I live for it

I try

Tolerate

~ Staind ~ Tolerate ~ 

***

We’ve heard that life is to be enjoyed and appreciated, not endured.  Then why does it seem that most are just “tolerating” it?

You may understand what I mean.  It is hard to stay in a space of peace, calm and clarity when chaos is in your environment.  Blame it on work, marriage, school, family … we tend to go thru the motions.  We fake it till we make it … we tolerate. 

We tolerate behaviours in others and ourselves …

We tolerate people who are purposely difficult.  
choice … life gets easier when you remove those who make it difficult

We tolerate and attempt to live up to the expectations of others.

choice … do your best and create the time towards your true destiny

We tolerate and share our victim story

choice … life is too short to spend at war with yourself

We tolerate and romanticize and hold on to the past.

choice … you are not your past failures or habits, learn from your regrets and live beyond your fears

We tolerate our excuses.

choice … just do it and let your actions speak for themselves

We deserve to be happy and live a life that we are excited about.  So don’t let others make you forget that.  Just because someone else’s life is in chaos, that they are going thru the motions, and tolerating life … you don’t have to.  Reflect on the person you are capable of being … joyful moments of self-discovery, passionate endeavours, playing and standing up for what you believe in.  Strive for your time of living as a life fully living rather than just tolerating.

www.walkstrong.ca

" Understanding … "

You hold the answers deep within your own mind.

Consciously, you've forgotten it.

That's the way the human mind works.

Whenever something is too unpleasant, to shameful for us

to entertain, we reject it.

We erase it from our memories.

But the imprint is always there.

Can't wash it all away

Can't Wish it all away

Can't hope it all away

Can't cry it all away

In our mutual

Shame we hide our eyes

To blind them from the truth

That finds a way from who we are ...

~ Evanescence ~ Understanding ~

***

Why is it that trying to understand the behaviour of some people is like trying to smell the color 9?  Seriously.  I recently saw some one whom I knew for a very very long time.  We were good friends, some may have even thought best friends ... we have a lengthy history but we no longer are in each others lives.  And what happened ... I got ignored.  Yep, ignored.

But I think the interesting thing was the environment.  Their energy was odd and the scenario was random.  And once I realized who this person was, they had sailed by, pretending to not know me and who I was.  Really if you think about it they were right ... they don’t know me, not anymore.  And, perhaps they never did.  Afterwards, I felt unsettled, with a physical sensation of nausea and fear.  My body was shaking and speaking to me ... and I listened.

I listened because I now understand.  I understand how difficult behaviour can manifest itself as rudeness, open anger and even aggression.  And like all negative forces, these attitudes and behaviour tend to be contagious.  They drain collective energy, foster misconceptions, bring out the worst in others and spark conflict … no thanks.

Perhaps the randomness was the universes way of saying ... 

• be grateful for what was and appreciate what is
• see how far you have come
• don’t look back, there is nothing there for you
• you made the right decision
• don’t settle
• you deserve better

There is no unfinished business when there is no business.  We tend to romanticize the past, wish, hope or cry for what was instead of accepting what is.  For me, acceptance is not the issue ... it is the lack of general consideration, kindness and compassion for another human being ... reminder: what they think of me is none of my business.

Ultimately, it is a true test of oneself when you can still have grace and compassion for someone who treats you poorly ... a measure as to how far you have come and perhaps how far they still need to go.