Embracing Ambivalence
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| Tunnel of live oak and Spanish moss on the road to Savannah |
With all the violence and pain in the world, these are insignificant problems by comparison.
When your dog pees on the freshly cleaned carpet, it is annoying. I love my aging Airedale and she doesn't mean to do it, Goddess bless her. She's just old.
But when I'm feeling down, some of the little things, like unanswered emails, do bother me. And make me wonder about how I'm doing in the embracing ambivalence category.
Lately there have been several emails I've sent out for important issues regarding both work and personal matters. And it seems like more than usual I've not heard back from folks.
Yes, it makes me feel rejected. Some are work-related, like hearing back from editors or from someone I'm doing business with. I know people are busy.
But others are personal. After several attempts to contact someone, those long silences can make you feel sad. And sometimes small and insignificant. When I find myself staring down that road of feeling rejected, I switch on a default button that reminds me to focus on the good things. To focus on those people in my life who DO answer emails. Those loved ones who are always there, no matter what. This goes a long way to curing those blues.
When I'm feeling down I like to read inspiring books. I just finished one with a very uplifting message that I'm still trying to absorb but that I highly recommend
Anyway I've often heard that learning to embrace ambivalence is a key to happiness in life. I am doing my best to understand this. And to remember to feel extra grateful for all my blessings, like seeing the sun rise over the ocean. This is guaranteed to put everything in perspective.
The next time I walk across the stain on my carpet, instead of becoming annoyed, I will stop and hug my 15 and 1/2 year old beloved pet. Someday she won't be around to pee on it and I'll miss her terribly.
I wonder - How do you handle ambivalence?
