What's wrong with what's right? Well…let me tell you a story:
Awhile ago I was posting #whatsright photos on Instagram (and sometimes Facebook) often, as reminders to myself of what's right in my life, because -
over the past ass-chilling winter (it's now boob-sweating summer) I noticed that I was having a very easy time noting (loudly - and repeatedly) what was wrong in my life (and in the world, and in the universe, and and and), but not such an easy time noticing what was right - even when what was right was right in front of my face. I wrote about that in a post called (interestingly enough) What's Right.
So I was flowing along, posting my #whatsright photos, when I got stuck.
One day (a less-than-thrilling day) I noticed that I was planning my #whatsright post in a way that felt odd (very odd - even fake). I wasn't feeling the #whatsright - I was just trying to force myself to see (or at least talk about) something nice.
Ewwww! It wasn't my intention to paste something fake and fluffy on top of yuck. #whatsright started out as a helpful gratitude-ish practice and I wanted it to stay that way!
I needed to stop doing #whatsright posts in order to figure out what was wrong with what's right (at least the way I was doing it) - so I did (stop, that is). It took awhile, but I figured it out (whew).
The problem was - I'd forgotten AND! First (during the ass-chilling winter) I was all about the grumble, then (after I'd been putting up #whatsright photos for a bit) I was all about the oooooohahhhhhsweet.
But life isn't all one or all the other - it's a mix of manure and flowers (metaphorically speaking). <- read Chicken Poop for more thoughts on the inevitability of poop.
Back in the aforementioned ass-chilling winter it was important for me to pay attention to (and start looking for) what was right, since I'd been focusing on only what was wrong. But I didn't need to try to turn everything into something right (pasting #whatsright on top of what sucked) - all I needed was AND.
In order for me to honestly (and whole-heartedly) see, and share, what's right in my life (I bet this is true for you too) I needed to allow AND. I needed to notice what's right (true, beautiful, sweet, green, moist, lovely) AND what's argh, grrrr, and ohfuck (and even ohfuckityfuckfuck). All of it!
I don't always have to share both sides of the AND, but I have to be aware of them both (which, ironically, is how #whatsright started).
Hmmmm, I think I'm ready to go back to posting #whatsright photos now! Come visit me on Instagram, and tag me (@squarepegkaren) if you post a #whatsright photo so I can see what's right with YOU!!
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