Carry Your Torch
The other morning I watched a friend give a talk at a business meet up. And as I watched her speak, I noticed my mind thinking about how successful and vibrant she was. I found myself wishing that I could be like that. And then I felt sad that I wasn’t
Comparing Mind
This is something we do all the time. You look at others, compare yourself, and find that you are lacking.
However, as I had these thoughts I paused and started thinking about what was going on. I realized that not only were my thoughts not making me happy they weren’t true. I was actually creating a separation that didn’t exist.
You see that’s part of the trick of our human minds. When our minds encounter anything, it labels it. And with each label comes separation. Our brains say that thing is there and I am here. And while this is helpful for avoiding things like dodge balls and cars, it can be a big problem when we meet other people.
You think he is successful and in the same breath, I am a failure. You think she is beautiful while thinking I am ugly. We label and judge, but we do so at the cost of our true selves and the deep wisdom we possess.
Stepping Back
You see when I stepped back from my friend I realized that yes she was vibrant and alive in a way that I am not. But this is only a problem if I see the world as full of separate people with our own little vial of greatness. And if her vile is more full, then mine is less so.
But that’s not the way the world really is. The world is much more like an expanding crystal where each shard and fragment depends and grows from every shard around it.
It doesn’t matter if the shards are big or small. It doesn’t matter if the shards are clear or vibrant. Each shard depends on the one next to it and each shard partakes of the beauty of the whole.
You see my friend is a beautiful embodiment of her story. But it’s not in detriment to my story. My story is beautiful and unique in it’s own way, just like yours is. And whether or not the whole world see’s that isn’t important. What is important is that as I live my story and as she lives hers, we both serve something greater.
We both carry forward this torch that shines light on the power of being your authentic self. And whether or not her flame is a mile tall and mine is only the size of a candle. It takes both of us carrying that torch to light the world around us.
An Invitation
So I invite you to pause and notice those people in our lives who we envy, are jealous of, and resent. And instead of seeing them as taking something from you, see if you can see them as creating more of what makes this life amazing for all of us.
Vial. (not vile)
Thanks for your posts, they are thoughtful and generous.