What If?
Enthusiasm, passion, and optimism are qualities I’ve grown to respect in the people I encounter. I admire those brave souls who are able to celebrate life despite uncertainty, fear, and loss. I applaud those people who still say “yes”, even though they have had to accept “no” much more often than they’d hoped to.
Call it naïve, or whatever you want, but I like to think of it as tenacious optimism that allows these people to rise above challenges. What appears on the surface to be failure is just an opportunity for spiritual growth. Growth is never a waste of time. It is a step closer to our authentic self.
The closer we come to fulfilling our unique destiny and individual gift to the world, the closer we come to a lasting happiness that does not depend on exterior forces for its longevity.
Instead, this kind of joy is fueled by a force far greater than any loss. It is fueled by love. The essence of this optimism is hope, and hope is derived from the same creative force that creates fear, but the choice is ours.
The words “What if?” are laden with boundless potential, and I believe we choose whether to consider that potential as negative or positive.
What if I try and I fail? What if I try and I succeed?
Perhaps we do not have control over every experience that our souls grapple with because these experiences teach us what we need to learn in order to reach our full potential. Learning is never easy, but it’s always worth it.
And although I’m sure nothing I have to say is original, I can say with certainty that I have found hope to be a hero in my darkest moments.
Fear, worry, and cynicism will not only affect the outcome of a situation; focusing on fear blinds us to positive opportunities.
And so I cherish not only those who celebrate the moments of arrival but also those who find beauty and joy in the middle of the journey of transformation. Transformation is beautiful in its completion, painful in its temporary process as lessons carve away at our souls to mold us into who we know we could be.
In the meantime, do not allow negativity to ruin the moment. Focus on the here and now. There is always beauty. There is always hope.
