Do You Think The World Doesn’t Love You?
The other day a friend of mine made a statement that gave me a moment to pause.
“Do you know what your problem is, Jacques?” “You think that the world doesn’t love you?”
I was shocked. In those eight words he’d summed up my view of the world.
But so what? My view is no different to millions of other souls trying to navigate this human endeavour. The world isn’t a friendly place. Isn’t it my lot to suffer through this thing and hopefully, I’ll hit heaven when it’s all over? Isn’t that what it’s about?
Come on. It gave me two fathers, one absent and one abusive. It messed up my plans to spend a gap year after I left the army. It gave me an average brain that couldn’t muster up the marks to get into university. It sent me countless women to break my heart and mess with my head. It halved my hearing. It has given me one financial burden after another. It has left me looking back over what’s left of this journey with regret and remorse.
It’s obvious that the world hates me.
But is this true?
“How can the universe be hostile to me when everything I am made of comes from it.” – Intent – Exploring the Source of Being Human
Am I not part of the universe? Isn’t the very fact that there is a universe and that I have chosen to live in it something of a miracle? When I look at my daughter, haven’t I already got more than I’ll ever need and deserve?
When I look at it this way, then it is obvious that I should change my view that the world is a fearful place that despises me. Perhaps I should pay attention and realise that the world is an awesome place that loves me.
As I am part of it, why would it want to harm me and in so doing, harm itself? The better it treats me, the better it treats itself.
But to see the world as a benevolent and not malevolent place, will take some work on my part. I’ve actually got to step up and take responsibility for how I interact in it.
- First, I need to realise that whatever my situation, it’s 100% because of me. The universe has given me exactly what I have created in my head and my heart.
- Second, I need to realise that all the material things that I’m striving for … to make me feel secure and significant, wont. “No bank account is big enough to fill the hole in the chest called insecurity.” – Intent – Exploring the Source of Being Human. My real job is to get my head, heart and soul in order. The rest is all a bit of a sideshow really. Every second of every day, every setback, every triumph and every interaction is there to instruct. It gives me an opportunity to exercise the gift that even the angels weren’t given: Choice. I can choose my response. I can choose to be fearful or awesome. I can choose to be selfish or selfless. I can choose to be bitter or better. I can choose to make every moment that I have left, marvellous.
- Third, I need to have an attitude of gratitude. If I interrogate gratitude … it’s probably the most important feeling to have – everything else is subordinate to it. When I realise that I’m exactly where I should be, that I have already been given more than I will ever need and that the world is a friendly and awesome place, then I can be truly grateful.
Photo Credit: http://betterthansurviving.me/2011/12/