Mirror of Perception

April 5, 2015
Created By:
Suzanne Simcox
Categories:
- Newsletters Archives

The past few weeks I have been uploading pictures on Facebook of the beautiful crocus and daffodils in my yard. I must admit I quite enjoy the many colorful responses I get from across the country. Who can blame them! Most people have not experienced a winter like this in over 30 years.

Many of the comments I received were your expected comments coming from snow laden North Americans. However, the one’s I most looked forward to were the comments from a good friend of mine. These were ‘not suitable for print’ but what I can share is that they were cutting, witty, and heavy on sarcasm.

I happen to look forward and enjoy what I consider to be harmless banter with my friend because we have mutual respect and trust that neither take nor will take the teasing as a personal attack on each other. But what happens when the situation is reversed and unknowingly you get drawn you into a scenario in which you get blindsided by the type of response you receive to the information you were requested to give?

This happened to me recently and I can tell you the first few days I was quite angry and frustrated. Then a few days after that I realized that what C.G. Jung said was absolutely correct that ‘everything that irritates us can lead us to an understanding of ourselves.’

So, as I tried to understand and set aside the irritation that I was feeling I soon realized that I was taking that person’s comments personally and in reality the situation really had nothing to do with me. It was simply their beliefs. Well I am sure you are saying—really not take it personally? How do you do that?

Frankly, my initial response was exactly that. However, if you set aside your emotions and look at it from a logical perspective; the only thing you can control and understand is your own reaction—not the other person’s.

So the next time you find yourself trying to understand someone else’s comments and judgments about your chosen life remember the following quote of the famous dancer Martha Graham. “What people in the world think of you is really none of your business” and that to quote another famous Martha—is a good thing!