Choose how you want to see the world
Some friends and I recently traveled to Florida to participate in a running relay race called “Ragnar.” Our team consisted of seven women and together we completed 112 miles in 24 hours. We had a blast running on the wilderness trails right outside of Tampa, FL. Most of the running loops were in the middle of a densely forested jungle-like area, full of wildlife, emerald green pools and huge eagle-like birds soaring around (later found out these massive birds were vultures- yikes!).
During my last loop, I was running on a trail that had areas with beautiful white sand. I was about four miles into my run when all of a sudden, I spotted a perfect seashell right in the middle of the trail. What good luck! I felt like an excited child finding a treasure. I picked up the shell and continued to run and thought, “If I found one, maybe there will be more?”
I started scanning the trails and quickly found another shell! I picked that one up as well, and just as I started running again, I saw ANOTHER shell on the side of the trail! What is going on? I looked up and realized that both sides of the trail were covered with shells. There were literally seashells everywhere.
Why hadn’t I spotted the shells earlier on my run? Probably because I wasn’t looking for them. I only began finding the beautiful shells after I started to actively seek them.
I was laughing to myself, holding my three shells, and immediately I was reminded of a quote by C.S. Lewis, “Look for Christ and you will find Him, and with Him, everything else.” You could also substitute the word “love” for Christ: “Look for love and you will find it, and with it, everything else.” This is so simple, yet so easy to forget. If you don’t consciously look for the good, the love, the beauty in things, you will simply not find it. What you choose to focus on really does matter.
Simply put, you will find what you are looking for…
Look for the goodness in people, you will find it;
Look for their imperfections, and that’s all you will see.
Look for the joy in everyday events, you will find it;
Look for tribulations during the day, and that’s what you will experience.
Look for love, you will find it;
Look for hatred, and you will find that instead.
The truth is, you have the amazing ability to choose how you want to see the world. And when you choose to focus on the positive or goodness of others, the energy in your whole body will shift; and others around you will feel it too.
Being reminded of this truth, what will you choose to focus on this holiday season? May the choices you make bring love, healing and hope to you and those you hold dear.
