Sunday, October 9, 2011

Acknowledging Self in "Other"


"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe."--John Muir

"I am a part of all that I have met."--Alfred Tennyson

    The notion that we are all connected is far from new to me; however, I find that I can easily forget this fact whenever I become angry, afraid, sad, or frustrated by whatever might be going on in my life at any given moment. Within these painful lapses of my greater, stronger, more rational self, I begin to feel like a deserted island--where no one can reach me or help me, let alone help me heal. I become hyper-focused on myself: MY situation, MY problems, ME, ME, ME!!! Not to say that taking care of oneself is in and of itself wrong or a bad thing. It's only when I become so wrapped up in my own fears and struggles that I become blinded to anything else that it becomes an issue. At that point, not only do I forget that I am part of a vast connection of humanity that can help me if I merely ask, but, more importantly, I forget that as a part of this human network, I am still quite capable of helping others when they ask.

   Once I remember (and truly acknowledge) that I'm never in anything completely alone, I usually calm down enough to tune back into my more rational thought and begin to take the hyper-focus off of myself and begin focusing on what I can do to help others. The reason I do this is not to ignore myself, but, rather, to take a much-needed break of worrying about myself and put my attention in a more productive space. I find that the act of doing this helps bring me back to feeling a sense of value and purpose. For me, fear epitomizes the feeling of a complete lack of worth and purpose, so remembering my place as a part of the human community reminds me that I do not have to be afraid. I do not have to see the world as a place full of unknown "others"; instead, I can acknowledge the part of myself in all of these 'others': the common humanity, cares, needs, feelings, and hopes that we all share. That brings me wholly back to where I believe I'm meant to be.

   When we think good thoughts, speak words of encouragement, and reach out to others in loving ways, we not only help them, but we also help ourselves. Many reading may already know this, and I'm grateful for that, but it's the consistent remembering and practicing that counts. Too often I know things and don't act upon them, and I'm doing a better job these days of applying what I know to practice. So far, it's been a great healing experience. I invite you to participate too! :-)