Nothing is inherently wrong
Or right
You decide
What does it mean to you?
Did you add the weight that’s crushing that thing?
Into oblivion?
That place where you go numb – rather than make another
Damned
Decision
What does it mean?
Meaning is everything
Does a temporary loss mean failure
Are you are a failure?
Or does it mean growth
Learning
Stepping stones into uncertainty
Yes
But you decide the outcome
Always
Because you get to apply the label
Writing in bold pen
This is what I say it is
And it is
……..
And when you truly understand this
Meaning what it does
You begin
To do nothing
But win
*Look back on your life story and see what could be changed if you simply changed the meaning that you originally applied to an event. I have found this quite an extraordinary exercise.
Note – this doesn’t mean changing the truth of what happened – it means looking at the emotional filter you applied at the time. So many things in retrospect I would not change simply because of the learning and growth that came from the event.
Changing the meaning and emotions under which they are filed though has been a game changer in terms of how heavy some memories had become.
Header photo – A snap from the local races as are the ones below.
Love the horses.
Not sure about the lack of an objective truth. Maybe everything is not relative. Or subjective. Welcome to the postmodern world, though. We do, however, have the ability to to learn and forgive ourselves. And to choose differently next time.
We can’t change what happens Lynn but I have found that in changing the meaning that I bestow on something I can change how I feel about it.
This is very deep…. I am starting to observe those emotional filters that I have conditioned myself with… starting to choose ones that look toward growth and compassion toward myself and others even in retrospect.
We can’t change something that happens to us but it is amazing how many times if we just change the meaning, the entire scenario shifts into something that is far easier to experience.
A wonderful piece of thought and expression!!
Thankyou!
You are always very welcome! I enjoy your writing!
❤️
I agree that time and distance can influence the way we evaluate our former “failed” experiences. My first novel, Under the Tamarind Tree, was a way of dealing with abandonment. In the retelling of my life’s experiences through the lives of my characters, I had an epiphany for the reason for my life’s greatest failures.
It’s wonderful when that happens. I did some work on this going back and changing how I labelled things at the time from a forward perspective. The circumstance is in changeable and simply “is what it is” but we apply so many emotional filters to a happenstance that at times we create our own drama. Failure is a huge emotional buttton and one of the easiest ones to change. Just look at the amazing inventions and inventors that “failed” hundreds of times before they broke through. They weren’t failing they were learning ways that it didn’t work. I wonder how many other inventions, books,projects never made it off the ground because a human said “I’ve failed, I’m hopeless at this” and a whole heap of other emotional junk and gave up.
I’m going with ‘before’, 🙂 he looks a little too un-dusted for ‘after’. 🙂
Haha – I cant remember which it was – I just loved the pensive way he sat. Maybe he was playing the race through in his mind.
It’s comforting that we get to decide the meaning the interpretation of an event has on our own life.
Yes, I find it empowering and I also love that we can change how we feel about past events to a more balanced and less painful memory.
This is so true. The choice is up to the individual.
Sure is 😊
Oh I love this, I think there is always something to learn, whatever the experience. Love the pics!
Absolutely, thanks Kellie 😊
Very thought inducing Kate
Thank you most of my poetry is just conversations and thoughts I’m having
Yeah, I do read quite a bit of it when I come across it. But it’s written so relatable
Thanks 😊
I have such a bad memory that the past doesn’t affect me much, because I can never recall an event with any clarity. Onward and upward, as they say. Thoughtful post, Kate.
Hi Len – I think you probably have a very healthy memory then. Some people I know are so stymied by their memory and past and stuck in repetitive behaviour that they never seem to live or have new experiences because they are constantly applying the same filters – very sad.