Thursday, March 14, 2019

Day 9 Reflection: Acceptance

"It is what it is." This phrase has always bugged me, because I want to fix things. I want to make things happen. I want to be in charge of my destiny. All I need are some affirmations and I can --

Sometimes, it turns out, I can't.  

Sometimes I don't have the energy to put more effort into something to influence the outcome. I give what I can, and then I accept that I've done the best I can, and I take my needed rest. I find this with my writing career, which thus far has not taken off. Because I have a full time job which supports my family, I cannot devote myself to full-time writing, so I write as much as I can and then accept my time and energy limitations.

Sometimes I don't have the power to change reality, and I have to accept it. I cannot bring a loved one back to life. I can't reverse a layoff. All I can do is accept and mourn and adapt.

Sometimes, though, it's dangerous to accept things as they are. Injustices may be too large for me alone to solve, but that doesn't mean I should dismiss them with "It is what it is". I have limited power to change others' minds or to change society, but I must address what I can rather than accept. I accept that I can't change the world, but I try, and I listen to those who face the injustice so my energies go in a helpful direction and are not wasted. 

At the end of the day, "it is what it is" ... for now.

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