I find myself at a place just sitting. Ive gotten in a pattern of receiving things in a certain way, so I return to this seat, yes, my seat, daily to wait patiently to receive. But I don’t understand why even though I show up faithfully, I’m not receiving faithfully.
Then I read this little story:
Several years ago there was an experiment to evaluate reaction to change. Four tubes were laid side by side on the floor. A cube of cheese was placed in the second tube. A mouse was then released, and it immediately went to the first tube. Finding the tube empty, the mouse proceeded to the second tube. There he discovered and ate the cheese, which met his basic need for survival. The mouse then returned to his point of release. The next day the mouse followed the same routine by going to the empty first tube, eating cheese from the second tube, and returning to his point of release. He repeated the same routine for several days. Finally, realizing that he was wasting time by going to the first tube, the mouse began going directly to the second tube. He ate the cheese, met his need for survival and went back. This routine also continued for several days. The people conducting the experiment moved the cheese to the third tube the next day. The mouse went directly to the second tube, where his needs had always been met, and there was no cheese. What was the mouse’s response? Did he go back to the first tube looking for the cheese? No. Did he go back to where he started? No. Did he go to the third tube searching for the cheese? No. He chose to stay in the second tube where his need of survival had always been met and waited for the cheese to come to him. If the researchers had allowed it, the mouse would have starved in the second tube, waiting for the cheese – instead of reacting to the change.
Why is it we don’t change? Why is it we sit and wait faithfully for things to come as they always have? Just because that’s how we did it in the past, doesn’t mean that’s how we’ll continue. Life is constantly evolving and the only thing constant in life is CHANGE! We have to keep moving.
I think what’s tripped me up is realizing there was a difference, but instead of working to get through that change I just rested in what I was comfortable doing because I’ve always done it that way, so there I stayed…waiting.
Honestly, I kind of feel like I’ve been sitting at a stop sign and waiting for it to change. Newsflash: the stop sign doesn’t change. You’re supposed to bring your vehicle to a full stop, look both ways for other vehicles, pedestrians and the occasional squirrel and then proceed driving to your destination.
I wouldn’t say I stopped driving toward my destination, but I’ve certainly delayed my trip by sitting at this stop sign for much longer than intended.
Sometimes when we’re on our way to a destination, the way we know how to go, may have construction or a traffic jam in which it is necessary for us to reroute. We may make a left where we normally make a right. Or go right when we usually stay straight. Etc. Although these are minor changes to the course, the journey still ultimately has a destination. But if we don’t make those minor changes or stay flexible and allow them on our trip, we may end up spending a lot more time sitting and waiting.
I’ll leave you with this:
“When things change, make sure you don’t “starve to death” waiting for things to go back to the way they were. Doing things the way you always have and being warm and fuzzy in your comfort zones…“