Seeing Through the Fog...

“Love sees through the fog - unveiling the true beauty of a person’s heart and all the mysteries of life itself.” ~ Dave E. Anderson, www.FreedomLifeConsulting.com

On Monday 7:56 AM (2 weeks ago), I went out to my favorite place at the neighborhood lake, to journal. Usually it’s a bright and sunny day, which requires me to set up my chair under a shade tree to keep from getting my head sunburned. (No laughing) That day was completely different than any other day, since coming here. I couldn’t see any of the normal beautiful scenes, like: the ducks swimming by, the variety of colorful flowers, palm trees, the shimmer of the water, the blue sky mixed with clouds and the nice breeze. Even sitting under the shade tree was no good, because of the water dripping off the leaves onto my paper. Why was this morning so different? Because there was a heavy fog, covering all the sights that make this place so beautiful. The fog brought with it a damp, uncomfortable chill, stillness, dingy colorless grey sky, and a dripping wet morning. Which was not the greatest for my journaling... so I thought.

This is what showed up for me...

What is it that you want to show or tell me THIS morning God? This is what I got: When I don’t live by my true self – it’s like I’m in a fog. In a fog, the sight distance is short and not clear, roads are slippery (for a motorcyclists... this means cautious riding), the dampness keeps things from drying out and it feels drab and miserable to be in. Then I remembered when flying above the fog and clouds in a plane. It was so clear, bright, beautiful, and sight is seemingly unlimited.

So, what does that mean for me... stay above the fog? I felt him say, that I must see like I am above the fog – seeing far, clearly and unhindered by fog ...yet while still in the midst of the FOG of life. About then, the fog began to lift just enough for me to make out images that were hidden. A momma duck with about 10 ducks followed her on the other side of the lake... colors started showing up... the trees became clear... site distance was recovered... and even a little blue sky. And then it hit me: All of the life and beauty was there the whole time – I just couldn’t see it. I didn’t recognize the beauty all around me. It was there - but just out of my site and awareness of it.

As I pondered this, I began to think about the beauty of people’s hearts, including my own. I often see through foggy lenses or get focused on my or their fog of false ego, religion, pride, arrogance, performance, judgmentalness, hurt, anger, insecurity and fail to see the true beauty, which is there the whole time... just being hidden by fog. Another thought: Fog doesn’t really shut off sight, it merely reduces how far you can see, and requires me to slow down and focus more closer to the subject I am trying to see. When it comes to people, relationships and their hearts, if I am to see them through eyes of Love... I must risk getting close enough to someone to really discover and know their true self and the beauty that is there – like finding a hidden treasure. I have to lovingly wipe away the fog to focus on what is true, what is hidden, not the fog itself.

So, it all comes down to a personal choice to Love. Unfortunately, I sometimes ignore or just refuse that choice out of anger, judgment, fear, a need to be right, hurt, unreal expectations or just because I am seeing through the FOG of lies about myself or others. All of which is not the ultimate truth of my heart or theirs. Maybe even my awareness level gets foggy on how much I am loved, which would free me to love as an overflow of what I have received. Too often I have made up that I can’t love others, especially those with a lot of fog around them, as if giving love away would leave me empty. Hmmm, something to think about.

So today, I choose to see clearly my circumstances and truly love others and self by seeing what is true and beautiful, even when my natural eyes see... HEAVY FOG.

By Dave E. Anderson, Life Coach
November 28, 2005
www.FreedomLifeConsulting.com