Recently we visited another area of the country that was surrounded by water. This type of environment is very different from where we live so the contrast was noticeable. It was interesting to observe how people interacted with their environment. Water is so plentiful that folks work, commute and play in the water. We tend to use what we have in our surroundings to make our lives function. That being said, sometimes we get stuck in one way of thinking so we miss the benefits of our current surrounding.
Coming from the dessert, expereincing this amount of water can be intimidating. It is springtime so the melting snow creates powerful waterfalls. The water in the rivers, lakes and ocean is deep and swift at times. It is hard to see all that lies beneath. If we approached this new environment from a place of fear, we would have missed out on the advantages of this alternative yet amazing space.
What a beautiful analogy to our own lives. We all grew up in an environment which may be much different than the one in which we are currently living. If we expect that things will still be the same we could really miss out on our new surroundings and opportunities. Many of us know it is different and try to adapt but how much of the old ideas are we carrying?
Utilizing the old and the new we can create and craft a way of life that empowers us and others around us. The advantage of having the old as contrast can improve the ways in which you craft the new. Are you aware of old ways of thinking? How are you using them with your new ways of thinking to carve out your life?