by
Madisyn Taylor
Though we humans are self-aware, we nonetheless cannot distance
ourselves from the world around us and have a natural tendency to ascribe
meaning to all that we experience. The significance we perceive in our
experiences is rooted in our observation of patterns as they relate to
ourselves. One situation has the power to teach us about life because it
exposes us to something unfamiliar. Another touches our emotions deeply by
enabling us to see how fortunate we are. Yet our initial impressions of an
experience may not wholly reveal the true significance of that occurrence
because our full response to an experience is like an onion with many layers
that all have disparate meanings. Consider that a sunrise may stun us
visually while simultaneously evoking memories of childhood and reminding us
that each new day is a rebirth.
If you take the time to examine your experiences closely, you will discover
that your original impressions may only be a part of a larger story of
significance. Peeling away the layers of an event or incident can be a fun
and interesting process if you allow it. To begin, relive your experience in
your mind's eye and from multiple perspectives if possible. Your
interpretation of any situation is based not only on facts but also on
feelings, beliefs, and your values. As you ruminate upon your experience,
spend a few moments contemplating how you felt when it began and how your
feelings had changed by its end. Ask yourself what abstractions, if any, it
awakened in your mind. If an experience stirs up questions within your soul,
it may be that in striving to answer them a new layer of meaning may reveal itself
to you.
The significance of an experience may remain hidden to you for some time. The
meaning of an event can change when viewed from another context or may only
become apparent after intense meditation. An incident that seemed superficial
may unexpectedly touch us deeply later in our lives. If you take a truly
open-minded approach to your examination of each new level and do not shy
away from revelations that could prove painful, you will learn much about
your relationship to the world around you. And the refined impression you
glean from your experiences after contemplating their significance can add a
new richness and texture to your life.
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