How Deep Is The Mud?

This lovely photo illustrates a fact that some people seem to forget. Many of us experience similar things but few of us experience them in exactly the same way...

I spotted & liked the photo the other day on a friend's Facebook page & while it resonated with me because of the caption & the images itself I didn't take that much notice of it. I just looked it & whizzed past before moving onto another exciting holiday past time. But like so many things it keeps popping up & each time it seems more relevant than the last.

A series of conversion with a friend gave rise to a lot of issues recently with my feelings fluctuating from absolute horror to gentle amusement. I find myself disliking people I've yet to meet on the grounds of thoughtless remarks made about sensitive issues. Having expressed the opinion that the person behind them is obviously an a**hole I find myself in a position of understanding the feelings that led them behave so badly. There were so many mixed emotions expressed in that single conversation & I don't want to confuse the issue further...

It can be easy to forget or even fail to realise that each life is unique & our experience of life's events are also unique! Life would be so much nicer & more fulfilling if we could stop viewing life from a competitive standpoint & just be there to support one another, celebrate our own achievements & enjoy the successes of others.

It's not always easy to understand that the choices, mistakes, failures or successes of others aren't deliberate acts designed to hurt or embarrass us or undermine our sensibilities. Sometimes we forget that we are the adults & that indeed adults are indeed young! And young adults seem to forget that they are young! It can cause so many problems especially if everybody is right...

We see an endless stream of bitterness & resentment expressed in hurtful ways. Sometimes when we open our mouths we say the wrong things & express sentiments we don't always mean to share. We're human & we make mistakes. For some of us the hardest part of life is admitting that we've also made mistakes & making amends simply isn't an option.

We often read or hear that toxic people aren't needed in our lives & must be left behind. While this may be true, it's not always an option! All any of us can really do is work on being the best version of ourselves & live each day as if it were our last. Reflecting how we'd like to be treated by people is a guide to how our own behavior might change.

On a lighter note I've also had the Bee Gees reverberating in my inner mind's ear with  slightly different lyric, ie 'How deep is the mud...' I often amuse myself in this way. Maybe it's a coping mechanism...?

I sincerely hope that the rest of the New Year will be happier for my friend once things begin to settle down. And in the meantime I'll try & be the best version of myself that I can...!