A Catalyst. . .

There is a HUGE GAP between our expectations & reality. We are all experts at avoiding reality because it is often taught as a healthy way to avoids life harshness. A lot of benefit is in finding the courage to face reality & make the difficult bearable. I’ve found facing reality to be life affirming. Expectations can make you leap into the future full of ideas of what life should be or it wasn’t supposed to be. Sooo much stress gets tied up with the frustrations of dreams not working out that you neglect the present. Often there are new possibilities or ways to look at things that you ignore. Surprisingly, reality can often offer nourishment. So  for example lets say “Uncle David drinks too much” could become Uncle David is an alcoholic. That means he misses out on a lot of what’s going on and is often selfish. If I understand this as a part of his disease then this reality means that I won’t take it personally. This is helpful because then I’m less defensive when he hurts my feelings. Disappointments are often about hanging on to a false reality. Digging your heels in & saying this is what’s supposed to happen doesn’t work unless you can make the road to not getting there ok too. Disappointments might feel tough in the moment, but they often become the catalysts for growth and transformation. They push us to reassess, learn, and strive for something even better. So, in a way, disappointments are the raw materials from which we craft success stories. Peace and Love, Jim