Emotions are as diverse as the flavors in your kitchen pantry. Some emotions will fill the heart with love, while others will extend it's boundaries.
Ruffled Feathers:
Unexpected teachers tend to show up at the right moment to teach important life lessons. One year, a sinsonte (mockingbird) came to teach me how to deal with a lifetime of trapped anger.
If you don't know mockingbirds, they sing at night and switch to a different tune every 10-15 seconds. Drifting into a rhythmic sleep is difficult when the bird’s tune isn't very rhythmic. Needless to say, I was not very happy with the bird at the start of our relationship.
At the same time, I was grappling with insomnia, a struggle that can lead to a tug-of-war between the mind and body. The mind perceives danger and insists on staying alert while the body desperately craves rest. This internal conflict left me feeling a whirlwind of emotions—frustration, anger, guilt, rage, sadness, and overwhelm.
A part of me wished I could get rid of that bird to drift into blissful sleep. But it wasn't the bird’s fault that I was overwhelmed. In other words, my "problems" were rooted in me.
It took a lot of empathy, self-care, and patience, but I finally learned how to co-exist with the bird. The bird was going to sing; what was I going to do? How was I going to react? Once I accepted that the bird was a semi-permanent backyard resident, I adjusted my behavior to coexist harmoniously.
The universal lesson here was that I could not change the environment around me, but I could change myself. The only place I had power was in my reaction to the circumstances. And, the more I accepted reality, the more I found creative solutions that offered me healing.
I learned it was okay to feel angry, but what I did with that anger was a different story. So, I raised to a higher vibrational energy, allowing me to return to a peaceful state. I either fell asleep before the bird began its song, or I used earplugs. These simple solutions allowed me to be a human and the mockingbird to be a bird.
Now, I look at the mockingbird and smile, remembering its powerful lesson.
Your Turn:
The mockingbird's story is like a roadmap for handling tough times. Just as we can't stop the bird's singing, we can't control everything. But we can choose how we react. It shows that staying calm and kind can turn difficult emotions into a positive tune of personal growth and strength.
I invite you to use this technique when dealing with people who may be causing you distress. After recognizing and accepting their behavior, consider various strategies to restore a more harmonious connection. You can communicate openly to address concerns, establish clear boundaries to protect your well-being or adapt your behavior to promote more positive interaction. Remember, in challenging situations, you hold the power of choice, and these choices can significantly influence the dynamics of your relationships and overall well-being.
Connect your choices to patience, respect, and compassion; your inner wisdom will guide you in the right direction.
Amor y Canela,
Monica
