Saturday, April 24, 2010

10 Percent of Life...

Ten percent of life is what happens to you...the other ninety percent is how you react to it...a phrase  I heard the other day which struck me and made me think of all the times I have let WAY more than 10% happen to me...I guess the idea that attitude and decisions are more important can be something we forget, and in doing so it can cause a ripple effect in our journey through the world.  I suppose it is more of a spiritual way of thinking, but it comes down to making choices about moment to moment life experiences.  How we react to the challenges and situations that come our way, to the people and things that seemingly want us to lose or not do well, or convince us that we are no good or too slow or lazy...

Practicing this is obviously easier said than done, but being aware of it is the key.  It is taking that small moment to think before acting or saying...to question why we are "reacting" in a certain way before giving it the final ok to do so...It is the knowledge that life does not lead us completely, it merely gives us a prod and poke, and just like the books we used to read as kids that asked us to turn to  page 46 or 78, we then choose and go for it.  

Our situations can vary greatly depending on the factors in our lives, and present so many different challenges and goals that we must take all of that into account and not shy away from any of it having the same weight.  Sometimes we, as humans, forget that even though someone in Haiti may have an extreme measure of 10%, our own 10% is just as extreme and important to our being.  We cannot discount each others 10% and we cannot discount our own 10%.  To do so will cheapen our drive to live and strive for the 90% we  so desire to achieve.  The trick is to value each others 10% and give it the importance it deserves by making choices to react and believe and to be good human beings.

If we can strive for being a good human being with the 90%, then we have accomplished some of what we are here for....if we make choices from love and understanding we will move through this life gracefully and softly without prejudice, hate, or self doubt...

Much of the misunderstanding in the world comes from our own insecurities.  If we imagine that the person in front of us is merely presenting a facet of intense insecurity around a certain 10%, we can then adjust ourselves to match the better side of that person and strive for an even ground of understanding by being a good human  being.

Just as we need to give them a chance, more importantly, we need to give ourselves a chance...so often I don't give myself a chance to be wrong, or tired, or slow, or sick, or sad, or angry, or excited, or scared...Would I take that chance away from a young child?  No...I would listen and talk to them and acknowledge and give them space to be...and chances are, they would come back ten fold with an abundant spirit ready for the next moment.

Giving permission to myself to be whatever it is I need to be in this moment is the lesson for today....I am moving on to the 90% right now and loving every minute of it...

Love and Understanding.

1 comment:

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