“The past is either a great teacher or a fiery dictator; you choose.”
~ John Knight.
That piece of wisdom was imparted a decade ago. 2011 to be specific. Powerful words ‘stick’ with me.
There was a time when, looking at life’s ‘past,’ I was intimately acquainted with the fiery Dictator. A Charlie Chaplin contender if you ask me! I (thankfully, gratefully, with a big ‘whew!‘) discovered the Great Teacher several decades before John shared this comment with me. I think that’s why it resonated so; I was intimately acquainted now, with each.
I like to think at this present time that I flow blissfully forward, thinking and thanking the Teacher for each new ah-ha and awareness, changing my thinking, thus changing my course in this life’s trajectory. (Hahahahahaha! I sooooo amuse myself!) Fact of the matter is, the daily process of life brings forth (usually-) tiny nuggets that may get lodged in my shoe. Huh. If I don’t pause at that moment and shake the stone out, those nuggets then get lodged in my craw.
When that happens … as is always the case … small-mind takes over to ruminate and regurgitate ’til I cough up a hairball-of-resentment the size of a cat. (To channel Billy Crystal: “Don’tcha just hate when that happens!” ) Another you-created-this lesson from the Dictator.
Today, when I connect with a like-minded soul, it’s ‘thank you great Teacher.’ When I encounter others that live and believe in a manner that’s antithetical I can, Often Sarcastically, mutter ‘thank you great Teacher’ and then go on to judge why ‘they’ are ‘wrong.’ Again, Fiery Dictator just made another entrance – as right/wrong, them/me are constructs of my past thinking and living! Powerful things, those constructs.
Double-Huh. Today’s Choices? I guess there are still times I must/just like playing with fire. Go figger!