Creating Our Reality or Accepting Our Karma, Part 3

     If you have been reading the last couple of posts, I was comparing two viewpoints.  One says that our words and thoughts create our reality, and if we experience unpleasant circumstances, it's our fault.  The other says that whatever happens to us in life is due to karma, and we must accept it the best we can.

     Is there a third way?

     I believe that life is about learning lessons.  Yes, words and thoughts do have profound power, but we must realize that we are CO-creators in life, and not in charge completely.  Sometimes we have lessons that we must learn, and sometimes those lessons come with a bitter taste.

     Should this stop us from trying to make ourselves or our lives better?  Absolutely not.  We should watch our thoughts and words and take time to envision the life we wish to have.  However, if a difficult lesson should come our way, we should do our best to learn the lesson there and get on with life. 

     And if you see someone else suffering under a harsh life lesson, please don't judge.  Your turn may be next.  Have compassion, people.

Creating Our Reality or Accepting Our Karma, Part 2

     Last week I described half of a conversation I overheard between a man and his girlfriend.  She blamed him for causing an engine problem, causing him to have a very long day, because he had told her the previous day that it would be a long day.  Got that?  His statement, according to her, caused his engine issues.  In other words, he created his reality -- this very long day -- with his statement the day before. 

     This is a watered-down version of any of the "Create Your Reality" theories, from Napoleon Hill to Rhonda Byrne, author of The Secret.  The problem with this, in my view, is that it sometimes leads us to blame the victim when something bad happens.  'If you have cancer, it is because you held destructive thoughts.'  'If you didn't get the job, it's because you don't believe you are worthy.'  And so on.  It's very easy to see someone else's misfortune and be judgmental, saying that they created their own misery.

     When we just sit back and accept our negative circumstances as karma, however, it's easy just to become complacent and not even try to make our lives better.  'I was born poor and will stay that way my whole life because that's my lot in life.'  'I can't get ahead in life because I have bad luck.'  'Our family never got past a high school education, and that's my fate, too.'  I'm sure you can think of more examples of this view as well.

     So what is the best view to take?  More on that next week. 

Creating Our Reality or Accepting Our Karma

     I was sitting in a waiting room the other day at the tire-replacement shop and the man next to me answered his chirping cell phone.  With the TV blaring across from me, a senior woman raising her voice so that her elderly husband could hear her, and engines revving in the garage, my senses were already in overload.  If it hadn't been so cold out that morning, I would have tried to escape outside.

     But since I was stuck, I overheard his side of the conversation:

Him:  . . . . Yeah, I really wanted this to happen.  I reached in the engine and grabbed the hose myself so it would break.

Her:  Natter natter natter natter.

Him:   . . . . I only said that I knew today was going to be a long day.  That's it.  And now it's going to be even longer.

Her:   Natter natter natter natter.

Him:  OK, then.  Tomorrow I'm going to win the lottery and we're going to build our dream house in the hills somewhere.  OK?

Her:   Natter natter natter natter.

Him.  All right.  I'll talk to you later.  Love you.  Bye.

Her:  Natter.

     I didn't look at the poor guy, but he turned to me anyway (perhaps it was the height of my eyebrows that caught his eye) and said, "My girlfriend is really spiritual.  She thinks that because I said it was going to be a long day today, I caused my engine problem."  He gave me a sideways smile and I nodded.  But that got me to thinking.

     More on that next week.

A Lovely Quote from a Lovely Movie

     Have you seen Shakespeare In Love?  Sometimes it's nice to revisit an old friend now and then.  Here's a delicious quote:

If I could write of the beauty of her eyes, I was born to look in them and know myself. 

 

Pretty swoon-worthy, don't you think?

 

(photo courtesy of pixabay.com)