The power of the bigger picture - through adversity.
Vision. It's nothing fancy, it's not as complex as we make it out to be.. The ability to see movement, colour ok it's a little fancy, it's a blessing. But that's not the definition up for discussion today; the vision I'm talking about is that of the bigger picture - the master plan, the long game. This week we're gonna start off with, how can we know whether the decisions we make will benefit or detriment our efforts if we cannot see the bigger picture; if we don't have the vision to understand how each moment happens exactly as it's meant to? Regardless of our personal feelings or thoughts about it.
For instance, about two years ago a stranger I had just met left his bag behind at the gym I worked at. Fast forward to today, he just asked me to marry him. Or how about a couple hundred years ago when Tamatekapua lay with Kearoa (not his lady, but the wife of the canoe's high priest), which initiated a series of events that ultimately led to the origins of the Te Arawa tribe (toughest tribe out). Or how being welcoming and hospitable lead to the genocide of many indigenous peoples around the world. Got ya with that last one didn't I, just to get the point across....
We know that choices have consequences; a positive and negative reaction*. But are we really aware of how far those ripple effects stretch out? Is it possible to comprehend how a decision we make today will impact our lives a year or more from now? Can we anticipate the depths of whakapapa (origins, process)? For the sake of this post and kaupapa (topic),
think of the experiences that have helped shape you into growing, into becoming a better version of yourself..
Think of the times where there was nobody there to support you and you had to find that courage within yourself to pull through; think of the moments where you had to get over yourself and swallow your pride because you knew that to continue would make things worse; think of the times where you know you've been wronged and the world doesn't deserve your light and goodness, but you continued to love and share your vulnerable self anyway...Could you imagine being who you are right at this second, had you not gone through the experiences you've faced? Would you have the strength, determination, patience, composure to carry on and live your amazing life if you hadn't faced adversity in some capacity? There are many factors that come into play with adversity, but understanding its role in the bigger picture is where the jackpot is.
I love who I am and where I am in my life, I have a lot to be thankful for. I'm sure you can agree that some days it's harder to be grateful because the struggle is low-key overwhelming and I can't believe how what I'm currently facing has a purpose or 'reason' to be happening... It's because our current state of consciousness has not yet experienced the adversity, so it would be difficult for us to understand the effects from it and trust the role it has in shaping us...
My personal relationship didn't just go from 'forgotten bag' to 'engaged'; the whakapapa (process) in between included many struggles and even moments where it could have ended up totally not engaged. But as much as I dislike some parts of our journey, if we hadn't gone through those experiences, we wouldn't be who we are today or enjoy the life and bond we've created together. As we endured through the adversity, it was hard to see the bigger picture. It was difficult to envision what our future looked like because other insignificant things got in the way. So, as I reflect on our journey to where and who we are now (soz, it's still sinking in), I start to see the bigger picture˚ of how those experiences played their roles to shape us.
You may not always know what the bigger picture looks, feels or tastes like but you can be proactive about it. Make the decisions that will influence it to come about; experiment and try a new approach to obtain it; educate yourself and here's a heads up - expect to get out of your comfort zone.
Ngā mihi,
Hana.
*Not as in good or bad, as in choosing one thing often means not choosing something else.
˚The bigger picture for my current level of consciousness.