1999-2019: Celebrating 20 Years of Ripples
Ripples #1065: Redirection
Oct 21, 2019
PEBBLE
Sometimes rejection in life is really redirection.
-Tavis Smiley, shared by Jessica in Orlando, FL
BOULDER
When obstacles arise, you change your direction to reach your goal, you do not change your decision to get there.
—Zig Ziglar, shared by Tom in Boise, ID
PONDER
Sometimes I really like it when my social media feeds include a glance back at some post from several years ago, reminding me of a glorious event, a cherished friendship or even just a funny meme that brings another chuckle. Other times I quickly keep scrolling and mentally scold Facebook for not realizing that some things can just stay in the past.
That happened recently when a photo popped up of a relationship that I spent a lot of time, energy, and vulnerability nurturing. Seeing the photo of my happy, younger and more naive self initially stung a bit more than I would have guessed. I spent a few moments thinking about how long it took me to conclude the relationship wasn’t going to work out, and about how long it took me to recover.
It didn’t take too long for a grin to come across my face as I realized just how much I had grown since that photo was snapped, and how some of the wisdom I have since acquired came from that turbulent chapter of my life.
Even if I could hop in a DeLorean with a flux capacitor and zoom back in time to the moment that photo was snapped, I doubt I could convince my younger self that the rejection I was about to experience would end up being a crucial plot twist that would eventually lead to a much more satisfying relationship. But that’s okay! He eventually figures it out just fine, and the time and energy and vulnerability he spent on that relationship helped him deepen his understanding of himself and the world.
It was a lesson that I couldn’t have learned as well from watching a movie or taking a class. I needed to live it. It needed to take as long as it took. And I needed to go where it took me so that I could arrive at this place in my life, which is pretty darn groovy.
If something that looks like rejection has recently appeared in the movie of your life, consider that it might just be a plot twist, redirecting you toward a happier, more satisfying resolution than you can currently imagine.
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
