Like the water inside a glass, tainted by a drop of paint, our minds can just as easily become infected by the slightest bit of negativity. Our minds may just as easily become distracted, or influenced in a way that doesn’t let our very light shine through. It’s taken devoted practice to remind myself to use my mind as the glass, my soul as the water, and my thoughts as the colors that I’d like to see as the light of opportunity shines through. But what has been the best way to filter the colors? The best way to fuse with colors and thoughts that will help me evolve and develop?
A few nights ago, I came across a serendipitous quote by Victor Hugo. Hugo was a French author of poetry and novels, an artist and someone heavily involved in French politics of the 19th century. The quote is an extract from “Les Misérables”, and it reads, “Let us never fear robbers nor murderers. Those are dangers from without, petty dangers. Let us fear ourselves. Prejudices are the real robbers; vices are the real murderers. The great dangers lie within ourselves. Why worry about what threatens our heads and our purses? Let us think only of that which threatens our soul.”
Positive thinking has become, in many dimensions of my life, the best practice, the best filter. It allows me to patiently see the most vibrant colors; the ones filled with all the love and adventure. The colors that feed my humility, the ones that birth my desire to give. The colors that hold the compassion and empathy I share with my loved ones, my colleagues and friends.
This month of February has brought the rush and magic of Valentine’s Day, as well as the leisure of Presidents Day Weekend. Unfortunately, we were also shaken by the tragedy that occurred in Florida. As time passes by, it’s become a reminder to me that all of our lives are connected . Adversity, whether personal or an national scale, always brings the best out of us.
It takes bravery to splash vibrant colors into someone’s life, whether they’re hidden behind wishing them a good morning, or letting a yielding car merge into the chain of moving vehicles. As a receptionist at OPX, I’ve learned that a smile will bring out a smile in someone else. The colors we inflict into other people’s lives, are filtered through them and passed on to the next person, and so on.
