Stop, and listen.

A girl wakes up, and puts her hand to her head as it's throbbing in pain. She can't really remember much of last night, and doesn't care to. After all, that was the point. Everything's blurry and she can barely see. She lights a cigarette, and rubs her eyes. She doesn't want to leave her room today, or any day for that matter. She doesn't get it, this whole life thing. She doesn't understand the pain she's had to endure. Inside her heart is shattered and in need of repair, but no one reaches out to her. They've cast her aside.
She's lost care for herself, and her life.

Is there an answer? A help for her?

A son never felt accepted by his father. He was aloof, and too self-absorbed to notice his son constantly vying for his attention. The son is driven by nothing more than to win his fathers acceptance and approval; but never does. He begins to form his self-worth around his accomplishments and the approval of others. He becomes a success in the financial district. But with one tick of the clock, everything he's built his life on crashes before his very eyes.
He falls to his knees in despair, and questions the meaning of it all.

Is there an answer for him? A meaning?

A child acts out. He constantly screams in the classroom, and every book placed in his hands is chucked across the room. The teachers can't handle him and call in his parents. The mother arrives alone, the father's at work. The bags under her eyes provides the only color to her pale face. She says she doesn't understand why her son is acting the way he is; and never cares to.
He's prescribed pills to tame him. He becomes apathetic, and his rage is cast aside. He grows up thinking no one cares enough to deal with him. Feelings of rejection transpire into an addiction that's spiraled out of control.
He's lost his home. He's lost his soul.

Is there any help for him? Is there an answer?

A psychologist treats the girl, the unemployed man, and the drug-addicted outcast. Her interest in the field started in her early twenties. She's longed to make sense of the dysfunction in her own life. She has yet to come to any real conclusions; it's all theory. She tries her best to help her patients, but she knows they'll be back week after week. The relief she provides is only temporary.
She wants to help, and her heart breaks as shes come to
realize - she can't.

What's their answer?


Those who have ears ... let them hear.

Be careful how you think ...

... because your life is shaped by your thoughts. - Proverbs 4:23

That is one of the wisest statements ever made. Don't you agree?

How we think determines our every step, motion, and decision. There are certain things that are out of our control, but the way we handle and react to them is all based in our thoughts.

It seems like a simple truth, but I don't know if a lot of us really understand what this statement means, or the impact that our thoughts have on our life.

For example: "Americas Next Top Model" is a television show where young girls from around the country come to compete for the title of top model, which includes a contract with an elite modeling agency, amongst many other perks. After each photo shoot, the girls must go in front of a panel of judges where they will judge based on performance. A girl may be tall with the perfect bone structure, along with all of the other features that we identify as beautiful, but if she doesn't think she can achieve, or is worthy of the title of top model, she then shapes the judges view to follow those thoughts. Tyra Banks, the host, always picks up on it and says:
"We believe in you but if you don't think you can make it, then we'll think it too."

We need understand the root of our problems, which is based in our thoughts.

Ever 'self-sabotage'? In a relationship or career because it's 'safe'? Well, WHY? How did you get there, and why are you afraid to leave? Question your motives and actions to get to the root of the problem.

If you don't understand yourself, then you'll never be able to identify what's wrong, and the steps you need to take to start fixing it. Now I'm not saying that this road of self-actualization leads to perfection, because that's taking it to another extreme - but I know that inside of all of us there are a couple of things that are within our control that we'd like to change.

You have to perform a 'self-analysis' per-say, and figure out the basis for your actions (or lack thereof).

Why are you 'lazy', or a procrastinator? What are you afraid of? What are you thinking that's causing you not to act?

Why are you in an unhealthy relationship with someone that doesn't give you what you deserve (emotionally)? You obviously don't think you're worth it. Well how did that thought develop?

I've said this before, and I'll say it again - don't be on auto-pilot!
You'll wander through life never knowing the reasons behind anything! That's an unwise way to live - so consider yourself informed. Don't act in ignorance once you're in knowing.

You'll have to reflect in order to bring these thoughts out into the open. Only once they're identified can they be restructured and repaired. The path of self-realization often leads to change.

It's a proces; a scary and uncomfortable one at that. But you have two options in this scenario - you can be complacent, and waste a lot of time, talents, and abilities that were given to you out of fear. OR you can be brave, and try to recognize and identify your faults (and the reasons behind them). The latter will guide you down the path of change, which leads to personal growth and development.

Look Beyond Sight

Life is filled with symbolism, and most of the time it's overlooked because we're either putting too much trust in our five, fallible, senses or we're on autopilot. Our senses have interpreted data a certain way for so long that we've become complacent with what it tell us, never challenging it to a different interpretation.

You have to be careful when putting such trust in your own senses, because then you're not recognizing your own limitations as humans. You're placing yourself as the supreme being, and such pride will cause you to miss what's really out there.

Authors use symbolism all the time. You think a fire in a story, or the setting of an attic should just be taken at face value? Fire is symbolic of passion and power (along with many other things), and an attic relates to Freud's analysis of those hidden aspects of ourselves that we try to keep locked away from the rest of society.

If an author of a novel challenges you to look beyond his or her words, then what about an author of life who challenges you to do the same? You need to look beyond what your eyes can see and what your fingers can touch. The author of life is trying to grab your attention, but you're not paying attention to the messages being sent to you.

Sleep Walking

That's what most of us do, and it's time to wake up.

Life becomes just another passing day, going through motions, not questioning one single move. With life lived so blindly, we remain safe, because we're able to rest in the luxury of our ignorance. For if we receive revelation, we then have the responsibility to act in knowing. To continue acting in ignorance while in knowing now puts you at fault. But if we walk down that path without knowledge, the responsibility is temporarily shifted elsewhere.

It's unwise to sleep walk, especially when much is happening that you know nothing about. It's not that you haven't seen it, because it's been right in front of your eyes numerous times. It's crossed your path. You've glanced over at it; but then you look away. You were nudged to wake up, but you wanted to continue sleeping. But realize that even though you're asleep, things are still in motion.

Life's true purpose and meaning cannot be ignored. True human nature cannot be denied. There are universal characteristics and truth that transcend each generation and culture, even if people don't want to recognize or identify them.