Another method for living

I read something interesting a while back, “Miracles come in a moment.  Be ready and willing.”

I think there is something very simple yet profound in that phrase.  Makes me think about those Black Swans; a very simple yet difficult proposition that basically challenges us to live with our peripheral view wide open because the most potentially life-changing events exists there but only for a short time.

We spend so much of our time looking either straight ahead or directly behind.  Rarely do we allow ourselves the time to turn our attention to the periphery.  Even when we do and that feeling rises from our gut, we more often than not resume our eyes front approach to life.  We go back to living in a world with limits where many things are possible rather than a world without limits where everything is possible.

Why are we so reluctant to take a chance, a wild stab based on a hunch on an opportunity that only came in from the side view?  For one, we couldn’t see it coming.  These are the kinds of things where the outcome is difficult to predict and we are taught early on to err on the side of caution, to weigh pros and cons and hedge our bets.

It reminds me of a Costner film, “Tin Cup” where the hero has every opportunity to win the tournament if he plays the remainder of the hole in two shots, he simply has to be conservative and lay it up.  Instead he goes for the one in a million shot to try and hit the green in one.  He misses of course, and misses many more times on that hole but it wasn’t about winning for him, it was about hitting that improbable shot.

Sometimes our goals are nothing more than simple avenues to help us find the true miracle in our lives.  Unfortunately we become so fixated on what we perceive to be the final destination that we miss those hidden gems along the way. 

Yes, we are very horizontal or vertical people but rarely both simultaneously.

Certainly we have to be mindful of certain risks when we are responsible for a family.  Certainly there are life and death situations where we must err on the side of caution.  The real tragedy is missing those every day instances to look from the corner of our eyes and to slow down and take in everything. 

There are countless stories, amazing examples of individuals taking that chance on a whim by finding a small seam of hope and seizing it.  The story of Chris Gardner is probably the best example I can relate to you.  It was captured in a movie called “The Pursuit of Happiness”.  There are many others and if you haven’t read “The Alchemist” I suggest you do.

I hear from friends and acquaintances daily about how troubled they are with their lives in one sense or another.  How they regret not making a different decision or making a decision too late.  All I can think is that they are still missing the most significant point, regretting the decisions not made.

Life goes forward and part of being an adult is living with the choices we make and making the best of the aftermath.  For some it is easy, life is good.  For others it is much more challenging.  In any case however, I would say there is ample room for the kind of joy and happiness we all deserve if only we were willing to risk living a life without limits and allowed ourselves to exist in a 360 degree sphere. 

Take your eyes from the ball for a moment and be amazed at what you discover, who you discover.  It may surprise you to find that a subtle glance to the left or right can grow into something profound.  You might also learn that the best dreams cannot be captured rather, they are unknowingly nurtured and bloom at the moment of our greatest need.  

These can be your miracles if only you are ready and willing to see.