""Lots of people talk to animals," said Pooh.
"Not that many listen though."
"That's the problem."
(The Tao of Pooh by Benjamin Hoff)
the entire book is full of genius.
i'm fortunate to have people in my life that can understand me. we're all complicated creatures....extremely complicated. you're a very fortunate person if you have people that continue being friends with you after they find out who the true you really is.... if you've dared enough to expose your soul to them. i am lucky to have a few people in my life that sense when i need them. they can read between my writings and see what my mood really is. they have the uncanny ability to call when i was thinking about them. there's an understanding there; a comfort; a simplistic complication of trust, chemistry, and acceptance.
a true friend tells you the truth about you. they make you analyze yourself, push you, and somehow, you end up bettering yourself. ideally. unfortunately for the ego, this is awful. i've learned that i'm stubborn, opinionated, kinda bossy. i also am demanding, hot tempered and have extremely high levels of expectations for other people-sometimes unrealistic expectations. in all fairness, i didn't need to learn this- i know this. but i needed to hear it. we ALL need to hear it.....if not to be humbled then to improve. these are characteristics that i am actively working on (i really am. really). with the "negative" feed comes the positive.. the ying and yang. the perfect balance. i'm also considerate, a deep thinker, the eternal realist, a consistent loving listener and strong giver of advice, and the reliable sense of humor (dark humor... and often poor humor..but humor). i also push people to open up and be the best..to be what i see inside them. and i give great hugs.
struggling with some of these concepts lately, my phone rang. the wise soul that quoted to me earlier is on the other end. aforementioned soul (hereby known as "soul") "knows" me, the real me...flaws and perfections. the conversations are and have always been deep,intense, heated, competitive (in the best competitive way). soul listens while i jabber on, questioning questions and (over)analyzing splitting hairs. soul says to me something that soul has said many many many times to me (that may be my most favorite thing i have ever written right there) "Jen, stop. JUST BE."
i've heard this for years. and for the first time.... i listened. i stopped. i took a week off of analyzing (A WEEK! i know! ) i let the chips fall where they did. i didn't push, or pull, or argue, or debate. i didn't analyze, scrutinize, or any other type of "-ize" . i simply was. i was be (it makes sense.) . one of the best pieces of advice i've ever taken. in the quiet of my mind, i listened to myself; i heard myself.
it's been a couple weeks since i was just be (it makes sense). life gets crazy, the voices get loud.... the just be gets pushed aside a little, but i'm finding it's getting easier to apply the just be.
"You'd be surprised how many people violate this simple principle every day of their lives and try to fit square pegs into round holes, ignoring the clear reality that Things Are As They Are."---The Tao of Pooh
"Everything has its own place and function. ....... When you know and respect your Inner Nature, you know where you belong. You also know where you don't belong"--The Tao of Pooh
So there you have it. a few simple words to change your life. Just. Be.
LISTEN to the people in your life... HEAR what they say...... in doing so LISTEN to yourself, HEAR what you say.... i will continue to just be. i don't need to run the world, or babysit the public.(i will however continue to be darkly humorous and roll my eyes)..... the only thing i need to concern myself with is just being. the rest will fall in place.
thank you, soul. you're pretty darn fantastic...and wise beyond your years. i am incredibly blessed and humbled to have you in my life.
"While Eeyore frets ...
... and Piglet hesitates
... and Rabbit calculates
... and Owl pontificates
...Pooh just is."
