Quick quote for the day:
"We tend to forget that happiness doesn’t come as a result of getting something we don’t have, but rather of recognizing and appreciating what we do have."
(F. Keonig)
Instead of running away from what you have, focus more fully and search for the beauty within. It may be a long road, but recovering what is hidden can be more gratifying than finding something new because it is already yours.
This is true when looking at oneself. We all have special gifts and talents. We all have unique lives. No one can determine that one life is better than another because an outsider is never privy to all the aspects of another's life or another's relationships. We can only see what is shared in the open. What is shared is usually only a faded glimpse of what lies beneath the surface. In practice, I try to appreciate my own talents, my own gifts, my own relationships and my own life with all its strengths, weaknesses and idiosyncrasies. The combination of these specific elements make for a unique experience, all my own.
I think this is true with love as well. You may be surprised at the endless layers each person has within. Rediscover each other again and again. Since we can never know any one person completely, doesn't it make sense to try and learn the person we love most as fully and completely as we can? Does it not lead us to a more meaningful life with that person? We celebrate long lives and long relationships because we understand how precious they are.
One of the songs that I believe reflects this idea in relation to relationships is Somebody (Depeche Mode).
I recall my father-in-law recounting how pleased he was to see an elderly couple holding hands and nuzzling on the metro one afternoon. It is this road of happy discovery that I choose for me and my life. I hope you do the same.
Have a joyful journey.
