I believe every person faces imprisonment in some way and at some point during their lives, or maybe even throughout their lives. The most obvious form is legal incarceration. I take nothing away from that, it is definitely one of the most difficult forms otherwise our society would not have deemed it appropriate for punishment. However, imprisonment exists in many other manifestations as well. Health, both mental and physical, is a major factor. We can be severely confined by a relationship, by a job, by our desires, even by our beliefs. It is not always a question of whether those things are right or wrong. More important is how they make us feel and what we decide to do about those feelings.
In college I took an introductory psychology course, and one of the most fascinating sections focused on the nature of the will. Our class studied all the basic psychological aspects of the will. What is relevant here is something called the locus of control. Some people have a very strong internal locus of control while others have one that is strongly external. Essentially, it's a question of whether your will is more influenced by you or your environment. To my former professor's likely dismay, I believe or at least I hope that question is up to our choice more than has been traditionally thought.
Speaking from experience, I know that I have no say over other people or the outside world. My right lung will tell you that sometimes I don't even have control of my own body. Many times I am unable to decide how those things affect me. I do know, though, that I have complete control over what I choose to do about those things. I have several options. Depending on what happens or the nature of the imprisonment, I can choose to fight back and find a way to free myself, I can choose to accept it, I can choose to survive it until I can fight it, I can choose to seek help, or I can make some other choice. The essence here is that even when there are forces acting on me, I am still the one who is dictating terms.
One of the things I face is an incarceration of patience. There are many aspects of my life that require waiting. Things are always off in the distance. The chase is alive and well. I need foresight, endurance, and a type of long-term patience to get through it. Contrary to these things, I also need shortsightedness. Without losing sight of roads' end, I must remember I can only do today what will get me to tomorrow. And I need to be able to admit when I need a helping hand & the support of another. It is a step-by-step process, but I decide where and when the steps will go.
3 comments:
There is a best seller out there called The Secret--I wish people would read your post instead! Friends say that the book teaches how to visualize what you want in order to make it happen. (One said it was like imagining $1 million and how you would choose to get it, then voila! It's yours.) I haven't read this book, but it sounds like it puts the onus on a person to make things happen almost kinetically through positive thinking--like Xavier from the X-Men--without mastering the acceptance that some things are out of one's control. What you describe so succinctly here--that even when we can't control external forces, each of us is responsible for how we choose to face daily challenges--is the real secret.
Wow, thanks Ann! That is a wonderful compliment that I will certainly take to heart. I sincerely appreciate it.
Your will is by far your strongest asset. The recognition, that your will reigns over all, is the greatest gift you can share with those who need to hear it most...and those with the patience to listen.
Thank you for sharing.
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