OT: The Gift Inside

Life Packaging We have all had the experience of encountering someone whose life seems so completely different from ours that we can almost imagine we have nothing in common. However, if we go deeper into observing, we will see that we all have the same things going on in our lives. It is as if our different lives are in essence the same gift, wrapped in an infinite variety of containers, wrapping paper, ribbons, and bows. Everybody experiences loss, grief, happiness, excitement, anger, and fear. Everyone can have money issues of one kind or another, and everyone struggles with difficult choices. Our lives show up differently for each one of us because we each learn in different ways. One person may need to learn the value of money by having too little of it, while another may need to learn by having more than enough. We each learn about work and love, with experiences that are tailored to our particular perspective. Even as it appears that some people have it easy while others are in a continual state of struggle, the truth is that we are all learning, and it is very difficult to tell, when looking only at the exterior of a person, what’s going on inside. This is one of the many things that can be so valuable about cultivating relationships with people from all walks of life. As we get to know those who seem so different from us, we get to really see how much of life’s challenges and joys are universal. We begin to look beyond the packaging of skin color, clothing preferences, and socioeconomic differences, hairstyles, and the cars we drive to the heart of the human experience. It is important to honor and value the differences in our packaging, but it is just as important to honor the gift of life inside each one of us, and the fact that, no matter how different the packaging, the gift inside is the same.

Darlene, 

Janet, Nancy B, and I met a lady on the train coming back from Tijuana a year ago in January. We call her our "dirty Angel."  Janet had the fortune (good or bad!) of sitting next to her across the aisle from Nancy and me.

Even from where we sat she smelled. She was so disheveled looking, obviously either a street person or close to it.  Janet could barely stay where she was.

However, when this woman opened her mouth wisdom poured forth. I'll never forget her looking at us and saying, "It will be ok. You can change your life if you want to."  This when Janet was out of a job and not knowing what lay in store for her. The outside package was not inviting but her life's wisdom was there for anyone who would listen. A great reminder  for me in not taking that first impression, but to look deeper. Karen C

Thank you so much for this, Darlene. I need to think about this every once in a while. I just e-mailed it to myself so I can read it more often. I just continue to learn so much from you and I consider myself blessed for having you in my life. Thanks again for just being Darlene. I am sending you special love and hugs this morning and always.

Brenda, It's nothing I said, it comes to me daily from one of my Inspirational newsletter type things. I just pass on the ones that I think are good for here and ones that I won't get flamed over...... Glad you liked it.

We never know who our teachers will be, do we?  Thanks for the post.