I am fascinated with taking pictures of reflections. I am intrigued both by how perfectly the reflection mirrors what I see and also how with a hint of a breeze that reflection becomes distorted. The reflection can be clear or rippled. You can still see the image, but it isn’t quite the same. This is often how experiences happen in life.
We see things and think we are seeing them clearly, when what they are is only a snapshot or reflected image of what is real. Have you ever observed someone and decided that they had the perfect life? Have you ever thought, “If I had X, my life would be perfect”? Has the thought crossed your mind that if only I was thinner, younger, older, richer, faster, stronger, smarter, more credentialed, more successful, you fill in the blank – that my life would be great?
The problem with all of that “waiting until” is that we miss living in the moment. We miss the experience of now. Sometimes now is joyful and sometimes it is filled with grief. Sometimes we are content and sometimes we are wishing and hoping for things to be different. What if we set an intention to recognize what is and then make choices about whether or not we want to continue along that path or make a different choice?
A friend and I were talking about judgments that we have about ourselves and other people and she said “There is no perfect life.” We often see how someone is living their life or listen to what they say and decide what it means – we attach a story to it. It’s like the difference between the actual image and the reflection in the water. The image is what is true and the reflection is only a representation of it. When we confuse the two it can get dicey.
Where do you think, “if only…?” What stories have you created in your mind about your life or the seemingly perfect life of someone else? Notice when those stories pop into your mind and consider that they may only be a reflection rather than what is true.
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