I believe most of us have lived a moment (for some, self included, probably more like moments… Many, many moments.) where life becomes a bit painful. And, if we are grown-up enough, we can admit to ourselves that our pain is completely self-induced. And I say that because some of us have the propensity to try and fit that proverbial “square peg” into the proverbial “round hole”… To try a take a situation that is crystal clear and muddy the waters with our idea of what it should look like. And then, to complicate matters more, once we realize what we’re doing, we put our heads back down and continue to struggle to put something where it has no right being.
But here’s the problem with attempting to mold a situation into something it can never be… You ignore the gift that is right in front of you and then sadly, it builds resentments. And, as we all know, resentments are a very, very bad thing. They are a cancer in any relationship and have only one purpose… To destroy any and all good that can ever come from any given circumstance. So, as I have “matured” (saying “gotten older” seems to stick in my throat for some reason), I try to avoid resentments. Now I have faith that there is a reason for that square peg and round hole. “What reason is that?” you may be asking… Are you ready? Here comes a pearl of wisdom… The real reason for the “square peg” and “round hole” is to teach us that we are capable of coexisting peacefully together… That we can learn to accept each other as is… To see the perfection in one another and be grateful that life comes in all shapes and sizes. If you ask me, that is a pretty incredible blessing…
So, if like me, you occasionally feel those pesky resentments starting to build, try this. Push yourself away from the table… Stand up… Take another look at the situation and realize that the struggle, to some degree, might be because you may have made the choice to try and fit that damn square peg somewhere it shouldn’t be… And you know the really great thing about that little epiphany? You get to see that the “square peg” and “round hole” can be completely happy living together side by side… Loving one another for exactly who they are.
Michael Foley
