Are times really that different?

"And by habit they shortened their thoughts so that they would not wander out into the darkness beyond tomorrow," (McCullers, 1940).

I just finished a book by Carson McCullers titled The Heart is a Lonely Hunter (1940). This book was not only ahead of its time as it was written in 1940, but it was written by a 23 year old who had a deep connection with human emotion and the inequalities of the time.

Times have not changed as much as I would have liked to have thought. There are still many issues regarding inequality, intelligence, and socio-economics-- as long as human nature exists so does perception. As long as perception exists so will prejudice and judgement. A pervasive theme is that of human nature and our predisposition to negativity.

The central character is a deaf mute. People seek him out to share their innermost feelings and project upon him their fantasies of who he is. To some, he is a compassionate Jew--having withstood terrible injustices. To others he is a wise Anglo-Saxon, sensitive to the political views of those who abhor capitalism. And even still to others, he is the serene embodiment of acceptance and love.

None of these and all of these are true descriptions of him. He is a person that listens non-judgmentally to those who seek him out, and yet he has no way of expressing himself except to his own close friend who happens to also be a deaf mute in an institution. This friend, it is indicated, is not highly intelligent, and yet, the peace the central character gets from signing to him is immense.

It is important to have someone in your life who will listen to you with a non-judgmental heart. Everyone needs to be able to to release the contents within them. It is this release that helps a person to empty themselves of their fears and thoughts and move forward to the future. We do this in a variety of ways, talking to people and writing tend to be the most prevalent.

As a human race we have a tendency to embrace negative thoughts first in any given situation. My therapist told me that negativity is the first most natural reaction as we generally go into survival mode and think of the worst scenario and how to handle it.

It takes MORE work to banish negative thoughts and think in a more positive manner. Being positive has a huge impact on our perception and helps us to get through some of the most bleak of situations.

"Once you replace negative thoughts with positive ones, you'll start having positive results," Willie Nelson.

When you are stuck in a situation where you do not know the outcome, purpose to think in the most positive light as possible--appreciation and positivity have the best impact on a person's frame of mind!

Sometimes you have to purposefully CHOOSE to think positively to get through tough situations. Frame of mind has a HUGE impact on how you are able to get through a difficult situation!

No matter what you are going through, negativity will hit your mind first. Be aware of this and choose to embrace the positive in the situation--it will help immensely in the grand scheme of things. It is always a choice and does not come naturally. Being positive is more work than the natural inclination to be negative and accept the worse case scenario and be a victim of it and the depression that comes after.

This was not an easy post. We have to take the time to understand who we are and embrace it. There is no shame in being our authentic selves. We just need to be open to the truth of our identity. God created us and knows us inside and out. We need to be open to accepting the truth of our identity and take the time to work and be positive. People have not changed over the years. It is inherent in our nature to think the worst.

Take the time to be positive and think highly of yourself for once. You are worth it.