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When I was little I began to notice that no matter what was going on around us, my dad only saw the parts that were negative, evil, or dangerous. I knew there were positive, good, and beneficial things happening at the same time, so it made me think that two people could live the exact same life, and for one it could be wonderful, and for the other it could be horrible, based on what they were looking at. Later on I heard the story of the two travelers going from one city to another. Each one in turn came upon the same old man sitting by the way, each asking what the people were like in the city ahead. Instead of answering the old man asked what the people were like in the city they had come from. The first man responded that the people were awful, nothing but backstabbers and cheaters. The old man told him that he would find the same in the city he was going to. But when asked the same question about the same city, the second traveler said they were the salt of the earth and goodhearted people. Likewise, the old man told him that he would find the same in the city he was going to.
The moral of the story is that we see what we look for. We will find what we seek. And despite the actual amount of good or terrible things going on, our lives will improve or digress based upon our focus. But I’ve been learning that our attitude and focus is even more powerful even than simply finding what we look for. Our focus, beliefs, and feelings also bring out the best or worst in those we met, and in life itself. No wonder we get stuck experiencing the same kinds of things over and over again!
So I’ve been purposing that no matter what is going on, I will focus on the good things, I will chase my joy, I will see the best in the people around me. I will enjoy life and feel good first, and then watch as life reflects that back to me.
