I was visiting with my friend this morning, and we began discussing how we dealt with frustrating situations and difficult people. She commented: “I am trying very hard to learn to stay focused and not allow anything ‘crappy’ or negative to consume my thoughts. I can get so carried away with “what if” games. Our minds are so powerful, that at times I have to brainwash myself. Sometimes its the only way it will work”
I nodded in recognition of that truth and realized that I had been attempting to do that all morning. I commented: “I feel like I am balancing on a knife edge, and I can easily fall off into an abyss of fear and negativity, or I can chose to jump off the other side and find what is good and true and lasting.” My mind immediately got caught up in that analogy and I started wondering what would happen if I stayed on the knife edge and keeping my balance walked along the edge to the tip. Where would that lead me?
I was nudged back to the conversation from my reverie when she said: “You mean you are afraid?” My first thought was to interject a defensive comment such as “when you are up to your ass in alligators it sometimes is difficult to remember you came there to drain the swamp”, but I chose to be quiet and she continued:”That is the thing that we tend to forget…its our choice. As matter of fact, you can chose to imagine yourself on the edge of a knife or visualize yourself on a beautiful, wide pathway winding along the side of a mountain.”
Another truth. I was quiet for a moment and realized that this morning my friend was gently and kindly kicking my ass. Silence. It was my turn to speak . . .in my mind before I responded, I folded up the pocket knife I was balanced on and put it in my pocket and began ambling over to this beautiful rock lined path meandering up the side of a mountainside. “Hm-mm,” I responded eloquently as I began to enjoy this better place to be.