Seeing The Bigger Picture

Topanga Seeing The
Big Picture

I am often amazed at how many inhabitants of this world fail to see the bigger picture of life.  Whether it is through a news article in the media, a post I write, someone shopping in a store, or in a job, the big picture seems to be forgotten.  It seems that we as humans get so fixated on our one moment of our day, that we can't see two minutes in front of us, let alone the big picture.

When I write in this blog, it is more about sharing my experiences in life in a raw format to help get others to think and open up in their own life.  My entire thought process is that by using my life as an example, I can help others open up more fully to their life.  Sometimes knowing that someone else has walked in those shoes is what gives us the courage to investigate our own paths.

Yet, I get emails from people thinking that because of some blog post I wrote, they need to help me fix some part of myself.  I'm not talking about someone being supportive, but some of these emails are people really trying to tell me what I should do differently in life.  It always amazes me because they are not seeing the big picture.


Most of the experiences I write about have already occurred and I have processed them, so when people try to tell me what to do, it is like trying to tell someone driving on a road, what they should have done 100 miles earlier.  It sounds silly but if you see the big picture of what these blog posts are about, it makes perfect sense.

One of the most frightening things I see in humans is the need for humans to feel like they have to fix others.  It is like they know what is best and they are here to enlighten your path.  It is true that we can offer insight to others, but we need to offer it, rather than push it down someone's throat.

After all, most likely the reason we want to help someone else with our own advice, is that we need to be helping ourselves first.  Generally what I see is that the advice we give to others is exactly what we need to hear for our own life.

Before I become a creation of my own post, let me note that again, I'm using my own life as an example.  I know of no better source then the experiences I have been through in my own life and the knowledge I have gleaned.  However, I am very aware that these are my experiences in life and they are the lessons I have learned.

I just want to challenge everyone to work on seeing the big picture.  Don't just stop in the moment and think that a person needs the answers you may have.  In many ways, part of the discovery process for each person is to evolve in their own awareness.  It is a process that only each one of us can do for our self, not what someone does for us.

Offering a flashlight to our fellow travelers may very likely help them find the footing on their path that they need.  Let's just make sure we are not becoming the flashlight to them, because then we would be taking away the experience of them living their life.

It is important to note as well, that even though we think we can see what is best for another person, we have not walked in their shoes throughout all of their life.  We really do not know all that they have been through.  Let us willingly be helpful, but help us to see the bigger picture.  Help us to truly have love in our own words.

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Blog Post And Images (c) 3/24/12 Don Shetterly - use and reprint by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

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