THE OIL SPILL – THIS TOO SHALL PASS

Are you angry about the oil spill? Is someone or something frustrating you? Would you be happy if it weren’t for…

Take action, if possible, and remember “this too shall pass.”

What did you agonize about five or ten years ago? Maybe you felt stuck and saw no way out. However, circumstances changed, even if it was a variation on a theme. You changed and will continue to do so.

Life continues and shifts into something new.

Reflecting on a friend, I noticed how many changes she went through. They seemed all consuming at the time, that the pain or pleasure was endless. And then they passed.

• She survived Katrina; her city was devastated and without utilities for weeks.

• From morn to night for months and with no prior know-how, she purchased, gutted, and remodeled a store while negotiating with contractors and city boards for licensing. She briefly sold merchandise and then sold the building for a profit.

• A very young and dear family member passed after a brief illness.

• She won an iPod at a conference; it was stolen from her luggage at the airport.

• She went to the theater intending to be part of the backstage crew and instead auditioned and played in her first and only onstage role.

• Although an amateur photographer, she displayed her photos in a gallery.

All this occurred while in her late fifties and early sixties. Each time she was fully involved, and then things changed. Nothing stays one way forever.

Experiences come and go. Not only tough things pass, so do the precious ones.

Like roses, life’s ephemeral. Roses are beautiful, yet they too pass. They teach us to appreciate the moment and confidently express ourselves while alive.

No matter where you are now, this too shall pass.

You have this moment right now. Yesterday, in a minute or a week, next year, a lifetime – these are more moments, more nows.

Wars; illness; death – it seemed at the time the world would never go on, and yet it did.

You even survived a loss of love in high school, and you thought you’d never get over that pain and loss. Yet you did. Learned from it and moved on.

Something good comes out of everything.

Having lived in the Big Apple, I couldn’t imagine how people could ever come together in a spirit of universal kindness and camaraderie. Then 9/11 happened, and the beautiful spirit of the New Yorkers and world shined brightly.

In the midst of an oil spill tragedy, you have an option to look for what’s positive:

• Many now feel more inspired to take care of the planet.
• Exposed safety violations will lead to protecting lives and habitat in the future.
• We’re learning some tar balls are from other nefarious spills and practices that have been polluting our waters for quite a while.
• We have less toleration for corporations who care more about profit than lives and the planet  and are more willing to do something about it.
• We’re more inspired to find alternative sources of fuel.
• This event serves to create change.

People usually prefer status quo and don’t want to change unless something undeniably gets their attention.

The oil spill happened. Your life is as it is.  It doesn’t mean you approve of everything. However, from here, how do you choose to proceed?

Keep in mind, though, it’s not the end of the world, and this too shall pass.

If you don’t like something you can use your emotions to fuss up for the sake of feeling those emotions. Or you can think, feel, or do something differently.

You have a choice in how you interpret events.

When things don’t go your way, do you feel sad, depressed or angry, make mountains out of molehills,  find peace within, or take different action? If you choose worry, fear, and anxiety, remember this too shall pass. You can interpret life in a new way and focus on what you choose instead.

Put things in perspective.

Good or bad, circumstances change. What interpretation are you putting on events in your life? Remember, this too shall pass.

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Tags: angry because of oil spill, choice, feel stuck, frustration, oil spill, put things in perspective, this too shall pass