Recognizing the Good

 Sometimes life seems to move along so quickly that we forget to look at the larger picture.  We have a tendency to look at our own lives and be critical of what is going on.  Often times, we fail to see the positive in our lives, dwelling on the negative instead, and get sucked into a whirlwind of doubts and misgivings.  I got stuck in that whirlwind for the past few weeks due to a number of occurrences (one being the issue with the customer I discussed yesterday).  Yet at the same time, while allowing myself to get caught up in myself, life was presenting other views that in retrospect, painted a picture that showed how lucky I was.  From my point of view, I have seen many people get sucked into a whirlwind of their own making, turning and churning till they can't see much of what is occurring outside of their own lives.   There just seems to be this perpetuation of doubt and despair in some people, never allowing the sun to break through the clouds so to speak, and it can be incredibly debilitating for some.   Luckily, I don't think I have ever let myself get to the point where there is no glimmer of hope or brightness, but that is me.  I have seen friends caught in a depressing spiral for so long that it seems like they may never get out of it.  So how does one proceed to climb out of the this web that they spin for themselves, or in fact how do I do the same?  While the answer may be seemingly quite simple, it is much harder to take action and make it work for one's self. 

To me, its all about taking your life, stepping back, and looking for everything that is working or going well.  Instead of focusing on whats dragging you down, focus on what is there that can pick you up and carry you forward.  Over the past few weeks, as I mentioned above, while getting caught in a whirlwind of my own making, I was presented with situations that put into perspective my life and how lucky I actually am.   And as much as I hate to say this, what made me look at the bright side was comparing my life to others around me.  I have seen a number of friends and acquaintances over the past week alone and in looking at them and how they live, I feel truly lucky.   The comparison I made was not to how well off they are or anything similarly related, but rather to their lives personal lives and the issues they deal with.  Going further, I looked at their countenance, how happy they are or aren't, and how my life stacks up.  So why did I compare my life with others around me when I have spoken before about not making comparisons.  Well, simply put, I needed a boost and by making that comparison, I managed to feel better about my life and everything that is going on.  By looking at others, I was able to realize how well off I am in regards to family, home, and in general, my life.  Trust me when I say, I don't like to make comparisons that often.  I don't think it is overly healthy most of the time, but then again, if it allows me to pick myself up a bit, then I think it is totally worth it. 

I will not go into detail about what I found in my friends and acquaintances lives, but let it suffice to say that some are dealing with some pretty major issues that I hope I never have to deal with.  A small number of my friends like to perpetually complain about their predicament, their lives and their issues, and their significant others.  Some are even on the verge of breaking up.  So when I see all of this and I look at my life, I am pretty damn lucky.  Whatever I have to complain about is small and inconsequential.  Overall, my life is good.  Do I have an excessive amount of money saved up?  No, but to me it isn't about that.  Do I have a beautiful wife and healthy and happy son?  Yes, and life is more about that than anything else.  If I can look forward to coming home at the end of the day, then there really isn't anything worthwhile for me to complain about.  Sometimes the stresses of life can take over, but it is this view of everything that is good that picks me up.  Today I get to spend with my son, making everything worthwhile.  Sometimes, it seems, comparisons are necessary.  So let us not get to bogged down with life, let ourselves get caught in that whirlwind that can take almost anyone by surprise, and look instead to what we have to be grateful for.  Life goes by to quick to spend it despairing about things and perpetually complaining.  If we can only find the good, then perhaps we can enjoy life while we are here and not waste it away on frivolous things.  Just some thoughts, but maybe it will help someone else.