I think you can take two people,  same income, same style house, same make of car, both married, or single, kids or not,  and have them thinking and feeling totally differently.  That,  I think, is because we choose how we feel and what we think.

Is the glass half full or half empty? 

Facts are hard and cold.  How we view those "facts" is what gives us our true freedom or not....

#2 by Trudygolightly Tue, July 11, 2006 9:53 PM [Trudygolightly] I think you can take two people, same income, same style house, same make of car, both married, or single, kids or not, and have them thinking and feeling totally differently. That, I think, is because we choose how we feel and what we think. Is the glass half full or half empty? Facts are hard and cold. How we view those "facts" is what gives us our true freedom or not....

Yep, the whole perception thing at work there.

This is a great article Mason and something I've thought about a lot of times over my life.

For example (uh-oh..hehe)...I grew up fairly trashy.  Hunger, neglect, molestation, and violence were "normal" in my world.  Once I was old enough to make my life my own I started to change that....BUT it was hard because I wasn't "sure" a world without those things really existed.  Sure, I'd seen the commercials...but was that REAL?  Honestly, I doubted it was for a long time and even thought people were liars and fakers who lived that other world of non violence, molestation, hunger and neglect.

When I "crossed over" it felt like something out of a bad Sci-Fi movie.  I didn't "feel" like I fit in..and the language and norms were alien to me.  I had to relearn basic things like how to talk to strangers, shake hands, stuff like that.  Then there was a period of time when I didn't feel good enough for the new world, but I got over that quick enough.  One thing I knew for certain....I couldn't succeed at anything pertaining to a better life if I was always ripping myself apart.  So I nixed that bad habit and tried to learn about my new world.

I don't know if you can ever really shake your first "reality" or taste of the world.  Even though those things have not been my "reality" for more years than it ever was......I still watch for it...am vigilant against it lest it come and attempt to devour my children.

And sometimes my words or actions seem bizarre to the people in my new world...because they doubt the existence of the other.  Sure they see it on tv, but I think deep down they think it doesn't really happen, isn't as bad as people make it out, or that people deserve it on some level.

The times of the most grief in my life is when I re-act to the new world with my old world instincts.(Like um, watching a stranger put their hands on my kids..ha.)

Wow...sorry didn't mean to go down memory lane there.  Guess you can tell I've thought a lot about the "here" and the "there" idea.

The times of the most grief in my life is when I re-act to the new world with my old world instincts

A loaded sentence and says alot. I think it's normal when that does happen. The thing is how do you handle it? Meet it head on and come out on top smiling or letting it drag you down? Some people are not going to be privvy to your life so it's up to you what the outcome is. I think you're handling yourself beautifuly Tonya.



M what a great blog! It is strange how this happens isn't it? My view of the world is not the same as yours or the other person. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be in say my sister's shoe right now, being a fly on the wall watching what's going on in everyone's life.

Lifes what you make of it and making it isn't easy all of the time. And I'm not talking about riches.

Mason this is a fascinating topic, so I'll be sure to read the articles that inspired this thought. (Can you leave us a link to the article(s)?)

I'm constantly baffled at my own perception of the world. It's definitely skewed and I HATE IT! I marvel, for example, at people the likes of Tonya who "crossed over" from one paradigm into a healthier one. That's amazing to me, since I have such a hard time shaking the similarly weird childhood lessons that formed my foundation.

Religion helps me occasionally until I let my guard down and the weirdness of the world creeps back in. But the funny thing is, even with the freedom I have now to change my perceptions, my default keeps taking me back to the weirdness I learned as a child, with a few of my own weirdnesses added into the mix.

Hmmph.

Well Tonya is a sort of model to me. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

Well I haven't ended up in jail yet

Hehe, thank God! Which means you're in charge girlfriend!

Religion helps me occasionally until I let my guard down and the weirdness of the world creeps back in. But the funny thing is, even with the freedom I have now to change my perceptions, my default keeps taking me back to the weirdness I learned as a child, with a few of my own weirdnesses added into the mix.

Yea Angela, I guess that happens to a lot of people. Sometimes it's hard to let things go.

It is just a habit and all habits can be broken. Remember the "new world you" and what you want to accomplish

I agree Tonya. This can be for anyone, life happens! (no pun intended!)

#6 by Tova7 Wed, July 12, 2006 08:55 AM

Nothing wrong with a little stroll down memory lane now and again. Thanks.

#8 by foreverserenity Wed, July 12, 2006 0:33 PM M what a great blog! It is strange how this happens isn't it? My view of the world is not the same as yours or the other person. Sometimes I wonder what it's like to be in say my sister's shoe right now, being a fly on the wall watching what's going on in everyone's life. Lifes what you make of it and making it isn't easy all of the time. And I'm not talking about riches.

Thanks. Yeah it is interesting that we can all perceive the same world in so many different ways.

Hey, if you're spending time in MY universe, you'll have to register and start paying taxes (to me, of course)

Anyway, I constantly fascinated by this topic. Subjective memories, 'borrowing' stories from others and telling as though they happened to you, the diffferences between your perception and my perception of the same event. As I said, endlessly fascinating...

Good article, mate.