Is This "The Winter Of Our Discontent"?

For some reason this title came to mind for this blog post.



 Can you guess Why? I'm sure I don't have to tell you; so many people are dealing with personal emotions of grief and loss after the Presidential Election of 2016 where Donald Trump won enough votes in the Electoral College to be the 45th President of the United States.

This blog post is not about applauding either political party or Donald Trump, but it's just my thoughts on thinking about the decisions we make and how we look at life. It's not meant as a post to argue or share disparaging remarks, but rather to look at the results and outcomes in a different light and try to experience awareness and sensitivity to what others are feeling at this time from either side of the political spectrum.



I've never read the book The Winter of Our Discontent by John Steinbeck, but after Googling it, I think I'll have to put that on my reading list. Does this book relate to our election? I can't say because I haven't read the book yet, but the title fits. After I read it I'll let you know what I think. The original lines were William Shakespeare's from his play Richard III. (Haven't read that play either or if I did I forgot it.)

Most of  the pictures I have posted in this blog post are in black and white. There are a few in color, but this time of year, if we have an overcast day here in the northeast, there is not much color in the landscape, especially where there is snow cover. Pretty much black and white, drab landscapes or when there is not much snow in the fields then the brown fields and trees of the landscape take on more of a sepia tone.

To me personally, life and our decisions are not just black or white/right or wrong, but a series of events or situations that lead us to to a somewhat murky view or answer. After we carefully consider and examine where our thoughts and answers are leading us we usually make final decisions based on those thoughts.




















My thoughts on this leads me to a chapter in Deepak Chopra's book The Seven Spiritual Laws of Success which highlights non-judgmental practises.



A quote from his book is:

"Judgment is the constant evaluation of things as right or wrong, good or bad. When you are constantly evaluating, classifying, labeling, analyzing, you create a lot of turbulence in your internal dialogue. This turbulence constricts the flow of energy between you and the field of pure potentiality. You literally squeeze the "gap" between thoughts. . . Non-judgment quiets the internal dialogue, and this opens once again the doorway to creativity."

So much of our energy can be spent evaluating and judging (and I know I'm guilty of this as well). When we use our energy for judging we cannot be creative. It takes so much of our energy to judge and we really don't know what encompasses other peoples' decisions and why they do or say the things they do. But remember it's not just black or white/right or wrong.

Many people are dealing with several "gray" areas in their lives and in the decisions they make. What's necessarily not right for you might be ok for them after making their own conscientious decisions and evaluations. It's not all cut and dry or black and white. 


Just like in photography in the photos I'm showing you in this post. If everything was black and white we really wouldn't see the nuances or intensity of photographs. As in life, in peoples' actions and decisions we don't know what they are dealing with or why they come to the conclusions they do. So much enters our decision-making that we have to rely on our hearts and minds to make the best decisions that are right for us where we are at any particular time in our life. You all have heard the phrase "Don't judge a man until you have walked a mile in his shoes". 

Here is link to Deepak Chopra's blog: Intent Blog Deepak Chopra

The photo below illustrates just a black and white picture - no gray areas. You don't see any of the nuances of shadows or warmth from forests, or the intense blues of the sky, or fluffy white clouds....

Same picture as above with more depth by adding shades of gray (not just black & white). . .

And lastly, the same picture. . .

Just like in photos, life's decisions are not all right or wrong/black or white. It's based on all that comes together in peoples' hearts and what's right for them. Their Consciences. Practice non-judgment in your life and you will be a happier person!

Thanks for stopping by ~
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