Friday, November 23, 2012

Unfolding Parts of the Self







“We do not grow absolutely, chronologically. We grow sometimes in one dimension, and not in another; unevenly. We grow partially. We are relative. We are mature in one realm, childish in another. The past, present, and future mingle and pull us backward, forward, or fix us in the present. We are made up of layers, cells, constellations.”       

~Anais Nin




Change has never been one of my mastered areas as I lean more towards permanency.  I feel more comfortable  when things are the way I expect them to be; but then there suddenly seems to be a time when I want to rearrange everything as I have grown bored or feel stagnant.

Change is a constant in life, challenging us whenever we feel settled about an issue, situation, or location.  Change can shift our emotions and how we feel within seconds even though we may not be aware of the cause and effect until a much later time.

We are multi-faceted human beings.  We are not just one solid body of thought, word, or deed. We are made up of differing parts.  Our cause and effect, or ability to respond, or inconsistencies can vary from moment to moment or conversely may not shift for years.

We may be a professional flying to different cities daily, sleeping in different hotels every night and eating meals at random.  We may love this style of life, but when we return to our home, if one thing is out of place, we may go ballistic!  We may stay up late into the night arguing to win our partner over to our side.  Then first thing in the morning, our partner openly agrees, but we sometimes respond with, "No, I have changed my mind."

Not only are our parts vastly different from each other, they are also given to change.  We are similar to massive computers with files being added to regularly or transferred or deleted and then retrieved from the recycle bin!  We need to know ourselves well so we can recognize when we are on the cusp of real change or a fanciful whim. 

It is beneficial to listen to all parts of the self, as each part needs some level of honor and respect.  In other words, we need to create balance between all of our varying needs.  If we pay attention, we will recognize which part of our self is trying to get attention and to what degree we want to give it.

Sometimes our behavior may surprise us.  We may ask, "Where did that come from?"  We all are exposed to negative energy, and we are all confronted with change, creating a cause and effect.  If we take the time to know our selves very well, we can more readily anticipate our reaction and smoothly move through the currents of life.   If we rush through life, ignoring or repressing parts of our self, it will be a bumpy road.


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