Having lived in a century old country home for the last few months, I’ve been intrigued by some common tendencies between us and those common houseflies that buzz around the windows here – winter, summer, spring and fall.
What on earth do we have in common with flies you ask?
They fly into the window, crawl up and down going from side to side. Up, down and all around – every day. The ones that don’t get swatted that is! They see the light. It’s what they want so they don’t leave the window. The door or another window could be open to go to a different part or exit of the house. No! They stay there doing the same thing over and over, wearing themselves out. All of a sudden they pick up the pace and start “buzzing”. I assume they just got determined they are going to get to that light. They stop for a while and go at it again. Sometimes I think “You stupid fly, just FLY away…you have wings!”
I started to notice something else. When I start swatting at them, they tend to “drop DOWN” towards the bottom of the window at which point it is very easy to get them. That is what we have in common and where we can learn from these little creatures.
When I come at those flies with that swatter, they have wings and the ability to fly up high and away over my head out of reach. They can certainly fly faster and further than I can run or reach. Instead they want to “Drop DOWN”. They stay in the same patterns and do the same thing, stay the same place and so it’s Bye-Bye Little Fly!
When things or thoughts of life come at you and you feel like you’re getting swatted around, do you find yourself wanting to drop down further into the path of the swatter and things coming at you? Does your head or shoulders slump down? Do you want to sit down and then lie down? Do your emotions want to get you “down”?
My question is what in life gives you wings to rise up and above the emotions, the circumstances, the thoughts and the tendencies to go further down? What really lifts you up and encourages you? Maybe it is “Who lifts you up, brings a smile to your heart and causes you to light up?” It is important for us to know what tools or who in life helps us find that place of peace in our life. Maybe it’s a good conversation, prayer, doing something for someone or going over cherished memories. Maybe it’s doing something or getting away even for a short time into different surroundings. How about going outside and looking for some beauty or LOOKING “UP” at the sky or vast horizons and realizing that there is so much more beyond this present place, moment and state? There’s a world of experience, people, places and things we’ve yet to connect with in our life. While they may seem far out of sight or a long way off right now, the reality is we are one day, choice and step closer to something new and different.
We have choices. We do not need to live in the “same” unless we continue to do, think, say and be the “same”. What can you do that’s different today? What will lift you up in your heart and mind, soul and spirit today? What will make you lift your head up and laugh a hearty laugh? Can you do something to help somebody and encourage somebody in a way that will lift them up too? Then you can have company along your journey of living on a higher level!
If the little fly on the window could learn that, he would stretch his wings and fly high up above and beyond that swatter. It could be the little fly saying “Bye-Bye Little Swatter you’ll not get me for it’s off and up I go!”
So here’s to Looking Up, Getting Up, Being Up, Lifting Others Up, Feeling Up and Going Up to the best you can be today and being in the best place you can experience today. Enjoy your journey!