By FR. BEL R. SAN LUIS
A man once went to see a doctor complaining of aches and pains all over his body. The doctor asked him to show exactly where the pain was.
The man explained, “When I touch my shoulder, it hurts. When I touch my back it hurts. When I touch my legs, they hurt.”
The doctor examined the man thoroughly. Then he told him: “Sir, there is nothing wrong with your body. Your finger is broken. That is why it hurts wherever you touch. Get your finger plastered, rest it for a couple of weeks and all of your pains will disappear!”
LESSON. In life so frequently, it is our own perspective that causes us pain or pleasure. As we go through life “feeling” the world with our fingers, if our finger is broken, naturally we will experience pain everywhere.
But, we make the mistake of blaming the external world for our ailments: “My job is over-taxing, my husband is too demanding, my wife nags, my children are disobedient, my in-laws don’t understand me, and so on.”
But look throughout the world and you will find someone who has the same type of job, but is calm; or someone who has the same type of spouse but is happy; or someone who has the same type of children but is patient; or someone who has the same type of in-laws but is grateful. What is it that allows two people to experience the same external situation but respond in two different ways?
The answer lies in our own perception or our own attitude. The key, then, is not to try to change every situation in our life, but rather to change the perception through which we see the world.
Of course, if we have a fixable situation at the office or at home, we should definitely do our best to remedy it.
We have observed that if someone has the nature to be dissatisfied, or the nature to be stressed, or the nature to be pained, that person’s nature will not change simply by changing the external situation.
Likewise, we run around through life trying to “fix” our jobs or marriages or family life, but frequently the reality is in our own perspective. As the saying goes, “We are our best friend and also our own worst enemy.”
In this season of Lent, let us all take some time to examine what our own personal “broken finger” is. What is it within ourselves that causes us to experience pain in the world? Do we get angry at the least provocation? Then cultivate patience. When we don’t always get what we want, do we get very frustrated? Cultivate resignation. Do we get mad if others don’t recognize us or our achievement? Be humble.
Stop examining others and examine more your own self.
