Waiting On The Other Shoe, Part 2

I don't know if this happens to anyone else, but after some 350 posts, I tend to lose track of what I've written about. So recently, I've been feeling pretty good. So much so that a few good habits I had quit, I've picked up on again. I see the world now in a brighter light and my normally critical self has been taken over by a degree of optimism. 

 It's not like this hasn't happened to me before. Usually when I experience a positive feeling of optimism there is still a small part of my mind that's waiting for the other shoe to drop, hence the title of this post. 

 What make's me feel this way? Why does my optimism end up being clouded by a sense of impending doom? 

 I guess the answer lies in my mental/genetic make up. The way I was raised, the social environment I grew up in, the people I surrounded myself with, and the traits passed to me by my parents. Still in my mind I don't really think you can blame everything on outside influences. Meaning to a point we can all adjust our poor behaviours. Still it's uncomfortable to think at any moment what excitement you may have is going to be taken away. 

 Maybe the thing I need to focus on is the reality of the moment. As I've written about on a number of occasions, the past is behind us and the future is unwritten. All we can change is the moment we are in. So you can say, instead of focusing on past missteps and worrying about tomorrow, you should focus on where you are at the moment. I'm sure there are many wiser and much smarter people out there that have tackled this subject more effectively. I guess what I thinking is, until you (I) deal with it personally, all the wise sayings in the world won't help you. 

 So as I sit here in this moment basking in my positive mood, I remind myself that every moment isn't going to stay this way. Unless we focus on the moment, showing compassion to those areas of suffering in our lives. By watering those seeds of love, we can overcome those places within ourselves that are just waiting for the other shoe to drop. 

 Remember to be mindful.       

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