Exit anger, enter love

Thought of the moment, courtesy of author Barbara De Angelis:

The more anger towards the past you carry in your heart, the less capable you are of loving in the present.

I do think that some of the events in my past have led me to direct anger towards people or situations that I see as the “cause” of something bad or undesirable in my life. Often it’s a subconscious reaction, one that I’m not aware of (or aware of the depth of) until years later. I know that these events and people don’t actually “cause” my negative reaction; how I choose to react to any situation is completely up to me — but tell that to my heart in the moment!!

The anger is there, I know it’s there, and I’m trying to work my way through it, to move towards a place of acceptance, forgiveness, freedom. And, yes, the ability to love and truly live in the present once again.

Awareness, I’ve always said, is the first step towards change.

Peace.

The right track means no backwards glances

Thought of the moment, source unknown:

You know you’re on the right track when you become uninterested in looking back.

Let the past be. Stop trying to be the person you once were.

Live like the person you are today, with joy, confidence and enthusiasm for what lies ahead. 

Brokenness connects us

Thought of the moment, courtesy of vocalist and author Sheila Walsh:

My brokenness is a better bridge for people than my pretend wholeness ever was.

Think about it: it’s not your perfection, but your imperfection that allows people to truly connect with you. As humans, we all have cracks and fissures, chips and patches, and we feel reassured and relieved when we learn that others have them, too. Sharing our vulnerabilities, fears and foibles with others often allows us to build deeper, more intimate relationships. We can identify, emotionally, with people who aren’t shiny and perfect, and we’re much more inclined to share our own personal experiences with people who we know have faced similar struggles.

Feigning perfection — putting up a false front that always proclaims “I’m fine; everything in my life is/was/will be great!” — is more of a wall to connecting with others than sharing your faults and failings ever would be.