Every snippet from our life is a dot contributing to a most intricate design. It can take years before we understand why things happen the way they do. Sometimes, we never do find out. Living in the dot is HARD. I’d much prefer to fly way up in the sky in a hot air balloon and look down with a bird’s eye view. I like magnificent views. And I like feeling like I have a purpose. And the bird’s eye view affords that in a way that moment-to-moment living does not.
And as I already discovered years ago, there is no confetti falling from the sky in adulthood, like the balloons which exploded from the gymnasium ceiling at my college graduation.
Adulthood has been sobering at best, disappointing at worst.
There are moments when I feel that kind of satisfaction and inner joy that I had growing up, but they are few and far between.
Do I regret that my upbringing had so many instances of positive reinforcement only to set me up for disillusion as an adult in the real world? Sure! But I still wouldn’t have reversed that. I mean, it was fun while it lasted.
And while it’s not a complete bird’s eye view to say the least, the end of the year does provide an opportunity for looking back and assessing. Which brings me to…
Things I learned in 2021:
1) Life does not always go as planned
2) Life actually barely ever goes as planned
3) Planning is important, but flexibility and adaptation is more so
4) Being open to growth and change is essential
5) Being complacent is not an option
6) The mind is far from perfect and life is better with meditation
What are some more you’d add?
Here’s a happy, healthy 2022!
Mindful Nuggets 