Ow, the opportunities!
All around us, there is inspiration in nature’s ingenuity. One stunning example is the transformation of the lowly caterpillar into a free-flying butterfly. The process takes patience, struggle, and willpower. If the butterfly is unable to break out of its protective casing, or if it doesn’t have the opportunity to ready itself for flying, it will die, having never fulfilled its potential to be a beautiful butterfly.
Hidden gems
The metaphor of the butterfly is a good one to remember as we encounter challenges. If we sadly become defeated by our struggles and give up, we don’t fulfill our birthright. But if we choose to shift our perspective and try to view obstacles as disguised opportunities for growth, we are more apt not only to overcome shortcomings but to soar to unfathomable heights.
We’ve heard stories about people with disabilities whose limitations fueled their drive to surpass any setbacks. Or others who after undergoing tragedies found passion and purpose in life that propelled them in unforeseen but amazingly fulfilling directions. Even with our everyday struggles, we can take a moment to find the hidden “gem” in them, asking questions such as, “How can I learn from this?” “How can I become a better person having gone through this?” and “How can I help others now?”
A giant picture show
When we view the events of our lives from a transpersonal (beyond day-to-day physical reality) perspective, we discover a treasure trove of gifts — an awareness that heretofore wasn’t on our radar screens. Speaking of screens, if we think of life as playing out on a movie screen, we see that this life is an enormous picture show. We play our parts while others come and go in and out of our movie scenes. Within the scene, it all seems so real. We love, laugh, cry, and fear. Our reactions and the words we speak are directed by our environment — our culture, upbringing, and brain wiring. We all have our roles to play. If we don’t take this life too personally and are able to observe life’s happenings from an objective aerial view, attempting to see everyone outside their “roles,” we might be able to connect to an expanded sense of humanity. Specifically, the spiritual bond that unites all — the one Spirit permeating through each of us. It’s easier said than done to view life and people from this vantage point. Frustrations can be daunting in this human world.
Who are we becoming?
Gyanamata said, “The things that happen to us do not matter; what we become through them does.” The main question is, “Who do we want to become?” If we want to fulfill our divine potentials, then we must take action to rise beyond our perceived limitations. Look at your life and pinpoint what’s not working. Write down the incremental steps that can be taken each day to steer you in the direction of self-actualization. The first steps should start within — examining thought patterns, beliefs, and habits. Then an action plan is vital. Baby steps are best. Perseverance and patience are paramount. Courage and faith are also important as we traverse rocky terrain on our way to a wondrous mountaintop.
But the ingredient that matters most is perspective. We need to stay detached enough from the daily drama to know that there is a higher purpose to our trials. We must sift through the pain to find the opportunity. Perhaps we should begin at the mountaintop so that we can get an expanded awareness of the whole production and say, “I can see why that happened.” We will look at ourselves standing at the pinnacle, smile, and know that we are not alone.
Articles related to “Ow, the opportunities!”
Are you comparing yourself to their “A” side on social media?
