Does This Really Matter?

I remember hearing Edgar Mitchell, scientist and former astronaut, talk about how serene Earth appeared from 245,000 miles away; how from that distance, it was impossible to discern the poverty or any other strife which can overwhelm us here.

It got me thinking, “All I need to do, to experience this peace, is to remove myself from the stress.”

We all have this awareness at some point.

Some of us try to remove ourselves from the stress by medicating (either self medicating or with the assistance of a physician); dulling the senses so the stress does not have to be felt.

Some of us will run. Moving physical locations; switching jobs, changing relationships, etc. in an effort to avoid the disturbing elements of our lives.

I have always found that wherever I went, the problems went with me. Even with different faces, different venues, different bosses, my problems always reappeared.

This is why all of my various efforts at escape failed me. Once I landed and looked around, there I was with all my baggage still.

So, how do I get a bigger perspective, how do I remove myself from chaos, while still engaging in the life I have created?

My greatest tool is a simple question: “Is this really that important? Is it worthy of the energy I am giving it?”

Nine times out of ten, I find this question reclaims my energy for me. It puts me back in command of my peacefulness and removes the charge from the chaos of the day.

If I have some autonomic program running, just asking this question is usually enough to break the spell.

I used to have a friend who would say to me, “You just don’t see the big picture.”

That is what this question is about, backing off far enough to see the big picture. Even when I still can not see it, just expanding my view opens me to the possibility that there is a bigger picture and perhaps I stand a better chance of understanding from this grander perspective.