There’s often more beneath the waterline of our life and relationships than we typically allow ourselves to discover. And it’s all too easy to settle for the shallow rather than diving into the deep. But there is life at the surface – and there’s much wisdom in accepting some things at face value without assuming there’s more to be dug up.
Of course, an unexamined life leaves us impoverished. And all too often we don’t consider the deeper desires and motivations of our heart. This causes us to miss much of the depth and richness available to us.
At the same time, we invite much frustration when we try to squeeze blood out of a turnip. Many issues are best accepted at face value without expecting it to offer more than what it can give.
For instance, it’s possible that our favorite meal connects back to fond childhood memories or another special occasion that provides a rich story in its own right. The meal here is symbolic – pointing back to these deeper realities.
But it’s also possible that this is our favorite meal simply because we like the way it tastes. And there’s no deeper meaning to uncover. It just tastes good and so we like it. And trying to force a deeper meaning into it often strains our integrity, as we feel we must come up with a compelling story to meet the expectations of others. A better approach is simply to accept our tastes at face value.
And this is true throughout our life and relationships. Some thoughts, feelings, desires, and actions are complete at the surface and have no deeper reality to unearth. And we risk distorting the landscape when we try.
Dig deep and discover the meaning often hidden in your heart’s motivations and desires. And be willing to accept things at face value when there’s no deeper meaning to uncover.
Photo by Pedram Normohamadian on Unsplash
