Not everyone is going to like us!

Today I was struck by a sudden revelation; obvious to most, perhaps, but new to me.  For some strange reason, I've always thought that most people should like me, feel some sort of attraction toward me, and be excited about the things I create - including lectures, pieces of writing, and photos.  For this reason, I've always bemoaned the fact that some people just don't "get" me, or act ho-hum toward my work.  This belief has caused me to think that there must be something flawed about me; otherwise, people would all like me.

Today, however, I realized that this mistaken belief is actually quite narcissistic, and naive besides.  The truth of the matter is that it is actually a great and surprising GIFT when someone likes us and is attracted to us and our work.  To most people the core of who we are - that is, the part which is most lovable - is hidden, like this mountain, by the fog-like properties of our less noble surface traits, and by the busyness of societal life which clouds that vision.  Perhaps only two or three people - like these straggly fir trees - will be able to pierce the mist in order to see who we really are.  The rest will look but not necessarily be impressed.  That fact, however does NOT mean that there is something wrong with the person we are.

When a tree produces one season's crop of seeds - say, 150,000 - does it feel bad when only one or two  actually sprout?  Of course not.  Soil and environmental conditions have to be just right for a seed to sprout, and for it to live to be a seedling.  There is absolutely nothing wrong with all of the seeds that didn't sprout. Rather, the soil and environmental conditions were simply not right.  Similarly, when a large percentage of the people we meet are not able to serve as a nourishing spiritual soil in which we can grow, this does not mean there is anything wrong with us!  We should rather be pleasantly surprised when someone actually DOES value who we are!  For that rarity makes it all the more special.

Photo: A snowy day on Fern Lake; Rocky Mountain National Park, CO; February 1, 2013

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