Ripples #862: One Cloud.
Nov 30, 2015
PEBBLE
Don’t let one cloud
obliterate the whole sky.
–Anais Nin, shared by Diane in Lewiston, ME
BOULDER
Disappointment is a friend to transformation, a call to both accuracy and generosity in the assessment of our self and others, a test of sincerity and a catalyst of resilience. Disappointment is just the initial meeting with the frontier of an evolving life, an invitation to reality, which we expected to be one particular way and turns out to be another, often something more difficult, more overwhelming and strangely, in the end, more rewarding.
-David Whyte, shared by Sister Miriam in St. Louis, MO
PONDER
As we get ready to dive into December, many of us find ourselves assessing the highs and lows of the past year and pondering changes we’d like to initiate as yet another new year rolls toward us.
I usually like to start by reviewing the fun stuff: achievements, strokes of luck and genius, all the things and people who made the year sparkle. The next step is to assess the year’s disappointments: things that didn’t work out like we thought they would, unexpected detours/dead ends, and anything or anyone who let us down. The quotes above encourage us to rethink how we view these “clouds” with the hope that we can grow stronger and wiser as a result.
I invite you to ponder the learnings that grew out of this year’s disappointments, extract any useful nuggets and be curious about how you could transform any cloudy stuff from 2015 into moisture for a verdant 2016. Are you in?
Peace,
Paul
The Ripples Guy
