Whatever…
That is a term that can drive me crazy. When someone is going through a rough time, and they respond to their situation with, “Whatever, it is what it is,” my heart breaks just a little. To me, it sounds like resignation – like giving up. It sounds like they just don’t care about what is happening to themselves and their life.
I know that’s not necessarily true. “Whatever” can mean that a person is refusing to let a difficult situation get them down. It can be an effort to resist the struggle – to stand strong against adversity. Unfortunately, it can also mean that a person is closing their heart to the reality of the situation because they are afraid to face the pain.
But if they are refusing to face the situation, then in all likelyhood they are also unable to move beyond it to a better place. And if “whatever” becomes their go-to response, they will begin lose the ability to feel – to truly experience life in all its abundance. They will become apathetic to the world around them.
Apathy, while it can protect us from pain because we choose not tofully engage in life around us, can also prevent us from joy and true connection with others. Living life fully requires us to be vulnerable and take chances. Yes, we might get hurt, we might experience tremendous pain, but we also have the opportunity to experience incredible love and joy.
This week I challenge you to open your heart to the possibility of joy. Turn your back on complacency and embrace life, with all its pain and disappointment AND with all its incredible love and connectedness. Give your heart to life, and reach out to others, sharing your love and kindness with them. Make this week a week full of intentional acts of kindness and live life in full color.