On the Lake Front

Are you aware of who you are? Are you aware of ‘who you are’ in connection to those around you? What do I mean? Your family, your best friend, the people you work with, the person you brush against in the hallway, the person half way around the world living in a different environment, culture a different lifestyle. Who are you in connection to these people?

We are all connected in some way, shape or form. Moreover, we have an affect on everyone in this world whether we realize it or not. Call it what you like, ‘The Butterfly Effect’, the ripple in a pond, but somewhere deep inside each one of us has that innate knowledge that we are connected. We just have to listen to it; we have to want to listen to it.

As I ‘people watch’, as I often do, I feel that some how we have lost our ability to feel the connection to not only people around us but to nature. Why? I am not sure though I do believe it is a combination of the fall out of the progression of the world, cultural changing’s and mental distractions. Nevertheless, the one constant seems to be that people themselves are cutting themselves off from what is around them, not the environment.

Sometimes I feel I am too sensitive and too connected. How can people let themselves slip away that way? I want to feel that connection, that invisible thread that links all of us together in some way or another, good or bad. I know it is harder the older I get and the more complicated life gets for me. There is so much stimuli hitting me all at once that I crave alone time.

Most people see me as such a 'people' person when in reality I am what the professionals call an 'introvert'. Not because I'm shy but because I have to have alone time. It is necessary to my existence. In addition, I believe I find it so necessary because I am too sensitive to the dealings of the human mind. If I don't have much chance to surround myself with 'like minded' people or the creations (books, art, music) of such said people, I can't sleep and I become depressed. It's hard to look at the world and wonder why we have to treat people the way we do or why the woman who cannot decide between pork-n-beans or kidney beans has to block the aisle with her self and the basket!

Your unwillingness to at least think about how your actions affect another is stupidity when you consider that someone else doing the same to you could either destroy or rock your world. Does that mean that it’s always going to be a warm and fuzzy feeling in regards to our decisions? No. That is why most people do not want to think about how they affect others. They do not want to feel guilty, worse yet; they do not want to take responsibility. The instant gratification of doing what you want when you want with no regard for others or the world around you is somewhat diminished when you have to realize that you are imposing on life outside your box to get what you want.

For a simple example: you want to change positions at your work. It seems better for you and is more towards what you want either for career, salary or peace of mind. It is not that you do not like who you are working with and for, but that maybe the stress is too much or there is too many demands made on you. You are good at what you do and you know that those you are leaving behind will notice you being gone. If you were not aware of your affect on others, it would not matter. You would leave in a heart beat with no second thoughts. However, if you do realize your impact on those around you then you are going to feel responsible for ‘letting those people down’, even though there will be someone to replace you. These feelings add more depth, dimensions and consequence to your actions then just making a decision because it could mean more money or vacation days.

Even the person you cannot stand that you work with every day, or live with. There is a connection for some reason to that person. They show you who you do not want to be, they challenge your way of thinking, they teach us valuable lessons. We do not always understand why we are where we are in life but it is irrefutable that you are connected to it, whether you want to be or not.

Labels: Growth

Posted by Lara Croft on Tuesday, May 15, 2007 at 6:33 AM | Permalink