Life will be filled with ups and downs, joys and sorrows, peace and distress, ease and difficulty. I could go on but I am sure you know what I mean.
Over the past few months I have found healing in dealing with some incredibly difficult and stressful situations. In the midst of that I kept pushing forward because of some of the other, positive things I am involved with. Many days were off balance with one side weighing more heavily than the other. Yet there was progress. There was accomplishment. There was success.
I have also learned a lot about many of the people in my life. Most are incredibly kind, generous, thoughtful, understanding, giving, selfless, gracious, forgiving, and loving. That is not the disappointment. More than circumstance, what can cause me sadness and feel disappointed is when I discover people are not who I thought they were. I have learned about some I (still) admire who are not as gracious, kind, selfless, understanding, or generous. It saddens me most because I believe they are missing out on some amazing blessings life can bring when we choose these characteristics.
Sure I have been slightly hurt by some situations. I have also learned a lot about myself. It has inspired me to be more gracious, understanding, forgiving, and loving. We are all on this journey together. Life is hard. That does not mean I have to be. I believe I have a better chance of changing the world around me for the better by responding to selfishness with selflessness, anger with peace, cruelly with kindness, judgement with understanding and hatred with love.
I am not referring to major, hurtful acts. It is the small, petty things that we say or do (myself included) that hurt. These are the things I should not tolerate in my own way of thinking or acting. I do not need to tolerate them from others either. However, I cannot change anyone else. I can only change me. I can change how I act as well as how I react.
Disappointment will never cease. People are not perfect. We will be let down. We will let others down. It is a part of life. Yet we can extend grace, mercy, and understanding when we are let down. Sometimes coming alongside someone instead of piling on will bring about the change we hope for. I, for one, want to be a person who builds up instead of tearing down.
Over the past few months I have found healing in dealing with some incredibly difficult and stressful situations. In the midst of that I kept pushing forward because of some of the other, positive things I am involved with. Many days were off balance with one side weighing more heavily than the other. Yet there was progress. There was accomplishment. There was success.
I have also learned a lot about many of the people in my life. Most are incredibly kind, generous, thoughtful, understanding, giving, selfless, gracious, forgiving, and loving. That is not the disappointment. More than circumstance, what can cause me sadness and feel disappointed is when I discover people are not who I thought they were. I have learned about some I (still) admire who are not as gracious, kind, selfless, understanding, or generous. It saddens me most because I believe they are missing out on some amazing blessings life can bring when we choose these characteristics.
Sure I have been slightly hurt by some situations. I have also learned a lot about myself. It has inspired me to be more gracious, understanding, forgiving, and loving. We are all on this journey together. Life is hard. That does not mean I have to be. I believe I have a better chance of changing the world around me for the better by responding to selfishness with selflessness, anger with peace, cruelly with kindness, judgement with understanding and hatred with love.
I am not referring to major, hurtful acts. It is the small, petty things that we say or do (myself included) that hurt. These are the things I should not tolerate in my own way of thinking or acting. I do not need to tolerate them from others either. However, I cannot change anyone else. I can only change me. I can change how I act as well as how I react.
Disappointment will never cease. People are not perfect. We will be let down. We will let others down. It is a part of life. Yet we can extend grace, mercy, and understanding when we are let down. Sometimes coming alongside someone instead of piling on will bring about the change we hope for. I, for one, want to be a person who builds up instead of tearing down.
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