How often have we wondered about what makes certain people tick—act or react the way they do? And how often have we wished for the power to change the actions and reactions of others? Just think of the effort and energy spent on analyzing and criticizing others while conveniently managing to evade the one person we need most to face and get to know best —ourselves!
There are always certain people who are a joy to be around. We smile when we see them coming and generally enjoy their company. It’s hard to imagine evading such an individual. Yet there remain others who are less enjoyable to be around who may be more sarcastic, cynical, phony, morbid or satirical. Should we find ourselves unable or unwilling to honestly evaluate our own true feelings and emotions, “Houston, we may have a problem!”
To be able to master such strained relationships (whether with others or especially with ourselves, several gradual steps may prove more advantageous. The first of which is to recognize and acknowledge the problem! The analysis is usually snap-judgement when dealing with others. When dealing with ourselves, however, a lifetime of excuses and alibis can easily creep in. If only the people we come in contact with through life could judge us as a whole instead of only by the minute portion with which they feel familiar, we surmise¬, while failing miserably to reverse the logic. Finding this too difficult we then tend to descend to the lower step of “tolerance”¬–at best; a step we find hard to get beyond when dealing with ourselves and even harder when dealing with others.
True enough, there are some habits and mannerisms that are seemingly more intolerable than others as rudeness, disrespect and/or common use of profanity. But what some may fail to consider is that there are those households in which foul language is used indiscriminately, resulting in those growing up in such atmosphere failing to recognize it as such! Whenever we hear words follow as, “That’s just me,” it may even be a cry for help as no one should be proud of being labled offensive, even when a situation may seem to merit it. To handle such situations tactfully would certainly be far more admirable and impressive. Anyone can ”blow their top” or be “just me,” But we all should aspire more to “I am Somebody,” the suggested motto emphasized by Jesse Jackson,
A key word is patience–with ourselves lest we become discouraged, and especially with others, lest we become a source of discouragement to them. The difference between the two, however is a thin line barring self-indulgence! Patience allows growth and only through growth can true progress be made–step-by step with underlying key that unlocks all doors being the ultimate state of LOVE!
Getting to know ourselves, our origin, purpose and potential is the greatest awakening in this stage of existence and the first positive step toward knowing our Creator! For through better knowledge of who we are comes better knowledge of God, our Creator and our intricate individual role in His Creation
