Thoughts That Arise from Reading : The Shadow Effect

This picture here?  Not an accurate description of me.  I'm terrible at basketball and don't smoke.  Also I don't look that good.  But is it me on the inside?  I'm not exactly sure to tell you the truth.

In elementary school I used to smile all the time.  My lips would pull themselves upwards to the opposing corners and present a genuine image of happiness to the world.

Then as I entered high school I met a most formidable foe.  A younger boy at school walked by me and asked "Why are you always smiling?"

"Why?" I asked.  His question confused me.

"It's weird."

As we parted our separate ways I gave serious thought to the question presented.  Like most teenagers I didn't want to be different.  I wanted to reside in that comfortable slot of society that said Bobby.  The place where I'd fit in and be accepted (or so I thought).

In effect it was a way to survive.

I took my smile off that day and hid it in some dark corner behind fear.  Ever since I've had an easier time with expressing sadness than happiness.

My naivety will say that the formidable foe was the young boy.  It was not.

It was me who made the choice, be it conscious or not.  And I realize this now as a result of reading The Shadow Effect.

The Shadow Effect, by Deepak Chopra, Debbie Ford, and Marianne Williamson, discusses the shadows we create over the course of a lifetime and the lengths we go to in order to suppress it when we really should be accepting and embracing it.

Oftentimes we think that the shadows only affect the evil parts of our lives.  They don't.  We cast them everywhere, especially where we least expect it.  To further compound matters we judge those who have been consumed by their own darkness.  Instead of first lending a helping hand or understanding ear we tend to throw stones, even though it could have very well been you or me in that same situation.

I won't go further into the book that that.  Rest assured that they go into great detail about the shadow and it's impact on our humanity.

If you have the time and desire I heartily recommend the book, it's helped me better understand the rut I've been in for the past couple of month. 

If anything, I do find it easier to smile now then I did a couple of days ago.

It may not help everyone, but it can help.