I Will Not Be Moved

I appreciate interruptions sometimes. They produce some of the best stories, lessons, or they remind me how much I am not in control. Words on a page do not become real until you live them, and as if I needed to relive this, I sit here again in this space.

Some of the hardest interruptions to digest aren't the unexpected ones, the tragedies you couldn't prepare for. Sometimes it's a person, old behaviors, words. Have you ever encountered a person, when they enter the room or open their mouth to speak, and the life in the room evaporates? You could be at the climax of joy, and their mere presence changes your mood. You can be in a positive head space, optimistic about the day, and they say one thing and suddenly that joy disappears.

You avoid them as much as possible, at least when you are happy because you want it to last. If you have a major event or milestone approaching, you definitely don't share it with them, because you can count on them to be a distraction when you need to be the most centered and focused. That person or those people have the ability to move you, and no matter how much you say you do not care, if you are experiencing real emotion, you care.

What if I told you there was a place that exists where you are not moved? There is a posture and place in your mind and heart where your light can shine even when the cloud is present. I am not saying that you should purposely put yourself in situations to be tested in this area, but there are some people, places, or things that are unavoidable. There is a level of acceptance where you stop getting angry at people for being who they are.

This is not an assumption that we are perfect because we all have flaws. But some people carry things, sometimes unaware, that naturally move people into spaces of fear, anxiety, frustration, and anger. How do we avoid being moved? If I was happy when you came, I should be happy when you leave. If I was optimistic before you spoke, I should be optimistic when you become silent.

I believe the first step to entering that space is acceptance. We typically judge people for where they fall short. What if we accepted them instead of judging them? Yes, we have to set boundaries and that occasionally includes physical distance, but acceptance says this is what it is, it may not change, and whether it changes or not, this is who they are. Next, we have to identify the why. Why am I so moved? Does this person remind me of someone, have I been previously or repeatedly hurt in this area, or is it that this person exhibits the characteristics I dislike the most? There is work to be done in the in between, but finally it's making a decision to no longer be moved.

It takes time, it requires an awareness of self, and when emotions arise, it may require a process, but it's worth it. I have worked very hard to get to this place. I have moments when I struggle, but I know who I am, and I am not lost. I value my peace too much to be moved. I value my progress too much to be moved. I also value people and their hearts too much to be moved. We all have sides that we do not want to show, words that should never be spoken, and extreme emotion typically brings those things to the surface.

I have chosen an immovable, unshakable place, a home base that is the checkpoint for the things I value the most. I hope you join me because in this place there is immeasurable peace, an abundance of joy, and an ability to enjoy my blessings without apology. I will not be moved. What about you?