Words and Thoughts

I have this sticker on the back of my car that contains one word. I have a love/hate relationship with this word- mostly because I fail to act upon what it reminds me of on a daily basis. It’s a simple white sticker with six black, bold, block letters. Yet this one word makes anyone think uncomfortably. When I’m driving down the road two thoughts generally come to mind:

1. I just cut that person off and I have that sticker on and now I feel like a hypocrite.

2. I wonder what the person behind me is thinking as they are stuck behind me in traffic?

The word: Others

That’s all it says. I know what I think of when I see that word. But does everyone think the same I do? Or do they ignore it and not even think twice about it? Does it stir in them something that they realize they rarely do?

We live in a world that is all about me, myself and I. For us to think of others is, sadly, a foreign concept. Imagine what the world would be like if for just 10 minutes out of our day we thought of other people instead of ourselves.

I’m guilty.

Guilt. That’s another word that is small in number but powerful in its essence. What is even more powerful is the knowledge of letting go. Majority of the time our guilt that we feel trapped inside of us is not from something that we necessarily did, but what someone did to us. Yet some how, that person has let us believe that it was our fault- so the guilt that they should be feeling is suppressed so far back it is left on the person who was wounded.

Wounded. I learned about wounds recently. Or I should say, I was faced with wounds. We don’t realize the impact of our wounded souls. We have wounds because someone that was supposed to love, protect, provide and care for us failed. And now we have holes in the corners of our soul that eat away at our thoughts, our futures and the very being of our lives. We can’t change the past, or that person. But we can change how we see the present and the future.

Yet in life we all have one thing that is rarely taken away from us: choice. I forget that word so often. But it’s a daily task that must be made. Even the awareness that just because we don’t consciously make a choice doesn’t mean one wasn’t made. Not making a choice is making one. Every day we have choices to make.

Will I put on that comfy sweater again or try and look cute?

Gym or my new Netflix?

Diet Coke or Water?

Move forward or hold on?