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cyranoThere's nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so.
For a long time, I have been thinking. There's a theory that the world gives you what you expect.
If you expect people to be stupid and mean and selfish then they will be glad to oblige you in that and you will live in a dark and cynical world.
If you expect people to be generous, thoughtful, kind and loving, they will again rise to meet your expectations. And you will live in a world full of sunshine and fluffy puppies.
You'll never guess which world I live in.
But I've met people who seem to be living in that other world. People who seem to go through life with an upturned face and a smile, who are graced with good fortune and do indeed turn lemons into lemonade.
And I sometimes wonder what would happen if I could trust the world not to kick me in the teeth long enough to drop my arms and find out what it was like in that other world. But it's pretty scary to try. Especially when I consider that it may not be the Point of View that determines the world--the cause may be the environment, and the effect may be the mood. People may be optimistic and friendly because they live in a world that makes them comfortable, and trying to live in it will just get me knocked around by the one I live in.
I make an effort to play the PollyAnna, to see the silver lining in the cloud in Bhopal; I try to make an effort to keep the good things in my life in the forefront of my considerations, and to keep my perspective from becoming too dimmed by a fascination with the venal and destructive in the world. But if I really want to change the world I live in, it's only a half-assed ring toss. If I think that change is possible, and that I could survive the transition, I'd have to try a lot harder and do a lot scarier things.
If you live in that world, don't get the Welcome Wagon ready just yet. It may be a little while before the new neighbor moves in.
For a long time, I have been thinking. There's a theory that the world gives you what you expect.
If you expect people to be stupid and mean and selfish then they will be glad to oblige you in that and you will live in a dark and cynical world.
If you expect people to be generous, thoughtful, kind and loving, they will again rise to meet your expectations. And you will live in a world full of sunshine and fluffy puppies.
You'll never guess which world I live in.
But I've met people who seem to be living in that other world. People who seem to go through life with an upturned face and a smile, who are graced with good fortune and do indeed turn lemons into lemonade.
And I sometimes wonder what would happen if I could trust the world not to kick me in the teeth long enough to drop my arms and find out what it was like in that other world. But it's pretty scary to try. Especially when I consider that it may not be the Point of View that determines the world--the cause may be the environment, and the effect may be the mood. People may be optimistic and friendly because they live in a world that makes them comfortable, and trying to live in it will just get me knocked around by the one I live in.
I make an effort to play the PollyAnna, to see the silver lining in the cloud in Bhopal; I try to make an effort to keep the good things in my life in the forefront of my considerations, and to keep my perspective from becoming too dimmed by a fascination with the venal and destructive in the world. But if I really want to change the world I live in, it's only a half-assed ring toss. If I think that change is possible, and that I could survive the transition, I'd have to try a lot harder and do a lot scarier things.
If you live in that world, don't get the Welcome Wagon ready just yet. It may be a little while before the new neighbor moves in.
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no subject
Date: 2005-09-25 03:59 am (UTC)I cannot believe that when you expect your world to be filled with sunshine and roses that it just turns out that way. Because more often then not, I do expect blue skies and green grass, and that's just not the easy world that I live in.
The Polyannas of the world take their brier patches and FIND sunshine and roses, then cultivate it. Whether or not they end up with green grass and and blue skies, or not.
Then there are people that have been given a sweet life, filled with sunshine and roses. Though, they focus on the thorns, the dirt, and the occasional clouds that float by.
It's all in how you look at it. I try to keep a running list of the good things that I have going for me. Sure, my internet access was cut off today, and tomorrow I may lose my cell phone. I'm not sure where my next tank of gas is coming from, and payday is a week off. That said, I am resourceful, and have neighbors with an open wi-fi net work. I have family that will put my husband to work and pay him. I have food in the house, and food stamps left. I have a job that will eventually pay me. I have a home, friends and a family. You regularly put a smile on my face too. Life isn't so bad ;-)