Wednesday, October 8, 2008

focussing on the negatives

I met one uncle of mine ,old and in his grey hair, who shared a special bond with me.While conversing with him on the topic of worry and anxiety , he shared this particular story about a period in his life.He said,
"Over the years i found myself deteriorating from a calm, composed person to a fretful, anxious and worried person.I kept asking myself what is it that is upsetting my thinking process, why in every situation , amidst positive end results its the fear of something negative happening keeps me from giving myself fully."
Uncle is an extremely creative person, who could paint, write poetry, stories apart from his vocation.In his writing he would imagine such places and people that oft times it would amaze me to hear about them.
As we talked we found that there is a connection between how one thinks and one's creativity , also between one 's perception of life and its outcomes to level of imagination.
The more negative imagination one carries about life in general, perceiving hypothetical negative outcomes for most circumstances and situations in life the more sadistic, pessimistic approach will that person have.
As most of us know,there are basically two sets of people-
the introverts and the extroverts.
People range from one extreme to another.
Among the four temperament view ,is the category of people called , melancholics, who often are very kind and compassionate but undergo depression or become pessimistic when they get more focused on the injustices and sufferings .They are highly creative people and are also the perfectionist type who seldom satisfied with what they do and always examining and reexamining situations that they could have done it better or dealt it better.
My uncle found himself falling into this category.
The series of events in his life which turned out not as per his expectations rather contradictory and because of the high aims he had set for himself, were making him to look out for reasons to why and how things happened.
There was a long hibernation in his life after certain unsatisfactory outcomes, during those times
of silence he went into further introspection , but every time he tried to come out , he faced hindrance especially other people pushing him down for his soft nature, finally he caved for he could not interpret with what was happening with and why was it happening.
But what kept him to attempt again to emerge back?
It was time for my train and i had to rush out but he promised me that he will share it with me in his letter .I am still waiting for it.
For he is such a beautiful person from within and had been a role model to many , a calm and confident disposition, very compassionate and helpful man, highly intelligent and creative , others pain was easily palpable to him, but those traits though they have not disappeared , but they have diminished and the most important he has lost his smile and peace which he always wore but now is seldom seen.
How important are our thought patterns and perspectives for us to live a balanced life.
I would like to look into the role of our upbringing and our personality type.
Until then may our Lords peace rule our hearts even when circumstances are not peaceful around.

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