You are 6 blind men

There's a famous parable about 6 blind men and an elephant. Each man touches a different part of the elephant and comes away with a different impression.

The one who feels the leg thinks it's a tree.

The one who feels the belly thinks it's a wall.

The one who feels the trunk thinks it's a snake...and so on.

Every day, your life is just like touching that elephant. What you see depends on what you are looking at.

If you’re sitting in rush hour and all you see is traffic, you’re angry.

If all you see is your kids yelling at each other, you want to scream them silly.

If all you see is idiot co-workers ruining the workplace, you are ready to explode.

If I could modernize the parable, one blind man would suggest to the others that they all switch positions, so they would all get a different "view" of the elephant.

If you’re sitting in traffic and you see it as a few seconds to relax without being bothered, you’re calm.

If you see your kids yelling and see it as a teachable moment, you are feeling hopeful.

If you see yourself as the lone shining star in a very dark sky, you feel better about going to work tomorrow.

If you don't like what you see, switch your perspective. Find a new way to look at something. Feel a different part of your elephant.  

You are 6 blind men. Your life is the elephant. If you keep feeling the elephant's leg expecting something different, you will be disappointed. The elephant doesn’t care & is never going to change for you.

Do you have questions about a specific situation in your life? Topics you want addressed in future essays? Drop me an email at bradleyjabel@gmail.com

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For information on individual counseling, please contact me at bradleyjabel@gmail.com

I’m an LPC and a writer. If you are a mental health professional and need creative consultation for your professional literature, contact me at bradleyjabel@gmail.com