Once upon a time a little turtle lived near a pond with her family and friends. She believed that the whole world consisted in the pond and the area nearby because this is what she had been told since birth. Everybody there “knew” that nothing existed beyond the wood that surrounded the pond. One day another turtle — a distant cousin — came out of “no-where” for a visit. She started talking about the sea, the beach, ships and people. Not a single soul believed her. Except one. While everybody labeled the newcomer as crazy, just one little turtle took her cousin’s words as “possible” and decided to go out, cross the scary wood and find out for herself.
In spite of her relatives’ disapproval, even contempt, she nevertheless started on her journey toward the unknown. After trudging on her trek with courage and faith, she finally reached the sea. Now she really knew, and could prove it, that another wider world existed beside the pond.
This little story can be taken as a suggestion to continue walking on the path of personal growth. If by now you have acquired a better knowledge of who you really are, beyond appearances, beyond the superficial judgment of others and the conditionings that have directed your life since birth, you are ready to take a second step. At times you have been afraid, you haven’t trusted yourself enough, you have been unable to ask yourself the right questions that could lead you toward a greater awareness. But now you are hopefully ready to take the new step, and start overcoming the limited reality you are familiar with, and discover other ways of living, other possibilities of enjoying a more serene, fulfilling existence.
On this journey, you will see the hindrances that keep you tied down to your pre-conceived beliefs and prevent you from moving and thinking more freely. You are ready now to accept the possibility of a different kind of life. By saying “different” I don’t mean that you have to change the way you are conducting your existence. You go on with your job, your family, your friends etc. What needs to be changed is your “attitude” toward yourself and the others. As long as you continue seeing things and people the way you have always seen them with your conditioned mind, you will keep on believing — like the turtles of the parable — that nothing exists beyond the pond, i.e. that your life is restricted within well-set, well-defined, insurmountable limits.
Once that your willingness and open-mindedness have led your foot on the path of personal improvement, the following steps toward destination will encourage you to clarify some attitudes of yours. This requires questioning yourself with great honesty and sincerity. First of all, ask yourself if you are totally disposed to get out of the metaphorical cage you have been living in — till now.
Then check if you are one of those who tend to look down (at the physical and material side of life) and seldom raise your eyes up to look at the sun or the stars in the sky (more elevated thoughts, feelings or goals). It is now time for you to really make a change.
If you observe and examine the world as it is at present, what do you see? Do you like what you see? Do you think that some things are not so good? How do you react? Can you do something to improve what you don’t like? Do you even care? The most tragic thing is that many people know what is wrong, or, at least, they are aware of what “they” themselves are doing wrong.
Yet, they are unable to change anything. Rather than “unable”, though, we should say “unwilling.” They prefer to stay in the rut of eating badly (damaging their health), being aggressive (abusing others), being intransigent and hard-headed (bossing around), watching or reading violent stuff (poisoning their minds) etc. Nowadays there is no excuse to such kinds of wrong and damaging behaviors. Nowadays no-one is “ignorant” any more.
Nowadays the many means of communication inform everybody, everywhere, all the time, about absolutely “everything.” So… what is the excuse? Can any excuse be accepted? Can you convince yourself of your reasons to continue on the “wrong” path? You are free to choose what you want to eat and drink, how you want to behave, that is for sure. But, honestly, how proud are you of your choices on a daily basis? Do they make you feel better? Do they make your life happier?
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