In life some elements are within our realm of control and others exceed our grasp. While it is important to influence and change those things within our power of control, it is also critical to tolerate those beyond our reach.
Many worry about the weather. While it can be important to be aware of climatic changes, there is nothing we can do to modify the weather. Instead of allowing unknown elements to influence our behavior, it is imperative we adjust our attitude to those factors within our control. While it is wise to prepare for the weather, in the end it doesn’t matter if the weather is wonderful or wild, we can be content in either situation. We are masters of our attitudes and have the power to establish our attitude daily for better or worse.
Our ability to tolerate those things which exceed our influence frees us from the often perceived need to change our environment. We participate, though we are not responsible for all that occurs in our immediate surroundings. Many times things happen which are impossible to change and difficult to understand. Awareness of this simple truth leads to inner peace and tranquility.
There are also situations which we can positively influence in our environment. We often have the power to change and mold the world around us. Taking initiative and action to create positive change is one of life’s most intense pleasures. Many things can be changed in our immediate surroundings and we should take every opportunity to effect positive change in our world. At the same time, understanding we cannot change everything encourages us to focus on those things within our control.
There will be people whose vision of the world differs from our own. Instead of trying to convince them we hold the truth, we can listen attentively and attempt to understand their reasoning. Tolerance implies accepting differing opinions without feeling the obligation to convince others they are mistaken.
Tolerance allows us to listen more and speak less. People love to talk about themselves and when we listen to them completely and attentively without judging or criticizing, we demonstrate our interest in them as individuals and demonstrate our value for their opinions.
Death, sickness and injustice are all difficult to comprehend. We can influence the intensity, frequency and duration of our emotions for the most unfortunate occurrences in our lives. The knowledge that time heals all wounds makes it easier to fight valiantly against difficulty and distress to the best of our ability.
Tolerating and accepting those circumstances we cannot change energizes us to effect and influence those elements within our control.
@RobMcBride