Desire To Pull Back

"All of a sudden, I didn't fit in anywhere.

Not at school, not at home ...

and every time I turned around,

another person I'd known forever 

felt like a stranger to me.  

Even I felt like a stranger to me."

Wendelin Van Draanen

We may be surprised by our personal retreat from things once seeming so familiar or we observe a friend withdraw into personal sorrow or a child retreat from group play. This does not have any thing to do with our age, but feeling out of it is rooted in our individual insecurities.  It doesn't matter if our perceptions are accurate or not.  As long as we are perceiving something in a particular way, we will believe it to be true.

Life is constant change and we are not always able to embrace alterations to our routines.  The more we struggle, the greater the desire to pull back.  This, however, doesn't change the situation.  It is still there and more than likely will not disappear.

It is challenging to remember that change is not an enemy.  It brings evolution, new opportunities, and broadens our concept of life.  This can feel frightening, especially if we are pretty comfy right where we are in the moment.  

If we are willing to sit with our lovely self,  and review our past, we will discover the greatest turning points in our life arrived on the cusp of change.  When the time comes for human growth, we are often called to let go of our comfort in order to learn and to discover how to experience life more fully. 

So whether you are noticing a change in behavior of a friend, child or ourselves, become a witness.  Sit quietly allowing feelings to bubble up while just listening.  There is no need to defend the feelings nor deny them.  They are simply there and are stuck.  By being a quiet witness, a person can experience supportive energy, helping to truly dig deeply and resurrect the root of entanglement.  Our presence can help ground and balance our thoughts.  And hugs, well they are truly miracle workers!