virgin islands scene

He who has a strong enough why can bear almost any how.
-- Fredrich Nietzsche
 

 

Saturday, November 1, 1997

Back away and be amazed

Sometimes we get so close to a situation, that we are unable to see the value in it. A job, a relationship, a business, a product, a lifestyle -- whatever it is, familiarity, as the saying goes, can breed contempt. Or, more accurately, familiarity can breed complacence and ignorance.

For example, if you’ve been married for a while, you think in your own mind that you know your spouse very well. And so you rarely make the effort to get to know him or her any better.

If something is troubling you, you’re often inclined to get rid of it. Yet if you back away from it, and look objectively at all the various components of the situation, you may find just one small aspect that is the source of all the trouble. It would be senseless to discard the ninety-five percent that’s valuable, in order to get rid of the five percent that’s causing the problem.

Your life is full of value. Yet it’s often so much a part of you, that you don’t even see it. Stand back and take a good look. Sure, there are parts that need repair, but you’ll be amazed at all the good things you see.

— Ralph Marston

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Copyright ©1997 Ralph S. Marston, Jr. All Rights Reserved. The Daily Motivator is provided for your personal, non-commercial use only. Other than personal sharing, please do not re-distribute without permission.