There are days when I realized that my eyes are letting me down. I don’t mean that I can’t see. After all these years, I’ve grown used to my nearsighted astigmatism. Now add to that some farsightedness, and you’ve got an idea of what life without my glasses is like.
But I’m not talking about physical sight.
I’m thinking more on how I view the world. And I’ve come to the conclusion that when I’m feeling disgruntled, disconnected or discontented, it’s time to start seeing with new eyes and to lose one of three J’s that can distort what we see.
Lose the Jaded View
Sometimes I let cynicism and the feeling of being jaded get to me. Nothing is new, nothing is interesting.
Spending time with a two-year-old is a sure-fire cure.
Dropping a grape on the floor is no problem. Just pick it up and eat it.
The roar of a garbage truck is cause to marvel at the sound.
Colors that swirl off a paintbrush into clear water making magical spirals that fade and disappear. Amazing.
The flight of a bird, the shape of a pebble stuck in a crack in the sidewalk, the green of the grass.
All are wonders to explore.
And when I think about it, all are miraculous in their own way.
Lose the Judgement
Recently I was thinking about customer service in Russia, back in the 90s when I lived there.
The rudeness of the clerks. The time one wouldn’t sell me the last pillow in stock because “what if someone else comes in and wants to buy a pillow?”
And the fact that all the stores closed from 2 to 3 in the afternoon.
To this western capitalist, this made no sense.
Only after I was there longer, did I begin to understand. They had logical reasons for what they did. I had rushed to judgment without seeking to understand.
So if I’m disagreeing with someone and can’t possibly comprehend why they believe what they do, it’s time to ask some questions.
I might learn that they do have some rational reasons for their position. That they are in greater agreement with me than I thought. Or one or both of us may revise our position.
That’s what listening can do for you. What seeing with new eyes.
Lose the Jealousy
It’s so easy to look at someone else and be jealous of what they have.
I know for years, I envied my friends who were getting married, wondering when my turn would come. Suddenly losing all contentment with my single status.
I’m also guilty of comparing what’s going on inside of myself with what’s happening on someone else’s outside. Forgetting that the outside is just what people choose to show the world.
There’s a whole lot of mess inside everyone. We rarely get even a glimpse of it. We don’t know the sorrow, the insecurity, the hurt. But it’s there. Some are just better at hiding it than others.
By casting off the jaded feeling, the judgment, and the jealousy, I’ve found that gratitude and contentment take their place.
Leaving me with a fresh look at my same old life.
And it looks pretty good to me.