Working with my students brings me great joy. These young hearts are able to see life full of hope and potential. Though their ideas might be naïve, or a bit impulsive, they seem to have a purer vision of what life is or should be. They too, gift me with messages and reminders…Their latest class assignment was to search for a favorite quote.. This is what came back to me:
“Do not dwell on the past. Do not dream of the future. Concentrate the mind on the present moment”- Buddha
“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” – Gandhi
“Arriving at one goal is the starting point of another.” -John Dewey
“You have enemies? Good. That means you’ve stood up for something, sometime in your life.” – Winston Churchill
We discussed their choices. They had insightful responses about the truth in all these examples… an epiphany followed…
We all have a reason to do what we do or feel what we feel. Most of the time the emotions, usually negative ones are brought forth by something small that has probably little to do with the actual situation. It’s easier to place blame on someone or something rather then to look at yourself as the causing determinant. I know my anger is a silly, old thing that has very little space in my life. However, we react based on past behaviors. We repeat what we learn; as if our own history is on speed dial. We can predict the outcome of most arguments, we know exactly what comes next because we have been there before. We use same techniques to win the quarrel, we engage in same behaviors and patters. But happens if we stop and completely change the approach? Though it’s uncomfortable, real transformation can occur. We can be more aware of our own and other’s actions. We consciously make decisions to break the cycle… and ultimately to be better people.