I spent some time with my mother yesterday. It was my father’s 81st birthday. Part of my gift to him was to remove my mom from the room. He doesn’t ask for much. Mostly, we’re all surprised that each of us has lived this long.
One of the things both of my parents and I have in common is how much we complain. We’re like professional quality. It is, though, something we’d all like to do less. Work in progress, that one.
What our message focuses on right now is that same concept. It’s about how we are conditioned to be unhappy with what’s in front of us. And how, if we only had more/were thinner/earned loads of money/insert whatever is new and trending we’d be supremely better.
There’s a very old Mexican fable I grew up hearing. It’s about a young woman who is overwhelmed with her life, is displeased and frustrated. She seeks counsel from the only one she thinks might help: her priest. Now, this guy is old, he’s seen a lot, he’s one of the good ones, he knows shit.
She tells the padre her tale of woe, and he immediately has a solution. He instructs her to go home and bring all of her chickens indoors.
Of course she doesn’t think this is a good idea at all. But she does it. Then a week later she goes back, tells him how much worse it’s all gotten. He asks if their dogs and cats are also in the house? She says no! He tells her to bring them in, too.
Later, he does the same with the goat, the neighbor’s cow, and then finally she ends up borrowing some kids from a relative and inviting her in-laws to come stay.
When weeks have passed, and she is frantic, horrified by what her home has become, he recommends that she return every thing and every one back to where they belong. After that, task the children with helping in a thorough cleaning. Then come back with her report.
You know where this is going. She’s relieved by his wisdom and kind advice. Her life is so calm and tidy now!
That’s what the Universe wants us to remember. It’s about
perspective
again.
When we feel as though all the world is out to get us and everything is horrible, well, take a step back. Examine what we truly have. Look at our mountain of blessings. See the beauty in our surroundings, our home, our village.
Do we actually have it so bad? Are there ways we can improve where we are? For ourselves, our loved ones, others in our community, our global family? What more can we do, what more can we share?
Rather than bitching and berating, complaining and blaming, bring the chickens in for a few days. Borrow a neighbor’s goat. See how much better things are than we first imagined?
As soon as we change HOW we see, we change how TO see.
.
Welcome to JulieLand 