Written by Dorothy Martin-Neville, PhD

Have you ever noticed that the most skilled, qualified folks, have a large sense of insecurity or uncertainty about so many things they are not expected to know?  Or that the folks who are just starting out have an amazing sense of all-knowingness?

A theoretical physicist I know will not feel he has accomplished anything until he equals or exceeds his idol who has long passed over. Another friend is thrilled at simply getting the laundry completed.

As we come into the holiday season celebrated by so many religions, we statistically have a major drop in religious affiliations and beliefs.

I’ve reached a state of believing that at some point it makes sense to give up on the illusion that objective logic governs. Everyone seems to have their own logic, as convoluted and/or complex as it can seem to another. It all makes sense to them, even if, for some, what makes sense to them is to stop trying to make sense of it all.

It really does leave me wondering. Can we simply appreciate the uniqueness of everyone we walk this world with? We each see through a unique set of eyes that cause us to notice things others will never see. We each get hurt or frightened by something someone else wouldn’t even notice.

I have friends who worry about money as they take off on yet another global trip. Other friends are watching every penny and yet feel free as a bird to enjoy whatever strikes their fancy since most of it is free or at a minimal cost. We are an amazingly varied group of folks with wildly different beliefs, understandings, and desires.

Nonetheless, we are all touched when someone notices us, or points out a thoughtful or kind thing we did. We even feel touched by seeing kindness offered to someone in pain or in need. How many can refuse to smile or be filled with awe when we hear a beautiful newborn’s cry or an infant giggle again and again?

So much is different for each of us yet so many more things unite us if we are willing to see them. If we simply open our hearts, we can see all the wondrous events, situations, and people around us. This time of year, especially, when a year is ending and a new one is preparing to appear. It is natural to look back over the year and realize that all those things we worried about have passed, whether resolved or not.

What about the love we have shared? The love we risked? The love we were afraid to offer?  In the midst of all the oddities in the world, take a risk and simply love your way through the rest of the year. Loving each person you see on the street, in the car next to you, the grocery store, and so on. Why not? That love brings compassion, understanding, and a full sense of health and peace. You deserve all that and more…