We are given only as much as we can handle…so we are told. But what does this mean? There are single moms, with 5 kids while working 2 jobs…making it look easy. While there are double income no kids who have the world against them. How is this so? Is it a perception of self and circumstance? Is it a combination of inherited and societal beliefs? We could spend hours debating the answer to this…instead let us focus on the remedy.

This past week has been difficult for many, while some keep on with their daily lives. Some lives stop for a moment of reflection, while the others are at light speeds ahead of the rest. Neither is right or wrong, but different circumstances or different chapters within each life.

Upon facing my own inner dilemmas, I come to a closing of sorts…of yet another chapter within my book of life.  Though I thought the lesson was to be short and sweet…the universe called an audible, challenging me to see how well I have learned this previous lesson.

Have you ever experienced a moment when you thought you have overcome an idea or dilemma, only to have the forces of nature hit you with everything it has?! This was one of those moments.

These are those defining moments where we take a deep breath (maybe counting to 10), pausing for deeper reflection without any rapid response. We take a breath and contemplate what the other was thinking. Maybe we have a better understanding or maybe we do not?! If we do…great! If we do not, we can make effort to defuse the situation or we can forgive the person causing chaos.

It is my experience that often times people have the best of intentions, but often see how things should pan out differently. Differing from our own ideas, we are faced with letting go more control of the situation. We may feel like a ghost, as if nobody sees us…never asking for our input. Does this matter? Do they have to get our input? Maybe they do if EGO demands that others respect our thoughts.

Now we are getting somewhere. Is it demanding respect of others or is it merely asking for common courtesy? Is common courtesy lost in this world today? I am not certain of the latter, but surely we could use a bit more of it.

Stepping into the Canvas Closing a Chapter, turning the page…another begins. How we react to the previous chapter leads into the next. If we embrace our chapter story as it unfolds, with enthusiasm for the coming chapter…we surely shan’t be disappointed.

~Ani Po