(2002-07-28 - 11:19 a.m.)
Over the past two or three weeks I have been reading M. Scott Peck's "The Road Less Travelled." The book concerns itself with how we as humans grow and develop mentally and spiritually, and how we either help or hinder ourselves.
Whilst I have a healthy scepticism for the latter part of the book, when Dr. Peck starts including large numbers of Bible quotes and seems to be suggesting that mental health necessarily involves believing in God, it has been a thought provoking and interesting read.
One of the things that Peck repeatedly concerns himself with is our own laziness in helping ourselves grow and develop; a theory that I think holds much weight, largely because I recognise that laziness within myself. And this got me to thinking about other areas of my life.
Often in the past, when times have been difficult or when someone hasn't responded to me in a way that I might have hoped they would, I've put it down to the fact that, well, quite frankly, they just don't understand me. I am such an enigma, such a complex being, that I'm beyond their comprehension. But it struck me today that, in all honesty, the assumption that they don't understand me is laziness on my part.
Isn't it true to say that if we claim someone doesn't understand us when they challenge our ideas, or don't give us an answer that we expected, that we are cutting ourselves off from the possible pain of new ideas and understandings? That we are making sure that we can stay safely in our own little cocoon, shielded from the difficulties of growing and developing and relating to others? I think that it is.
The problem with that is, even though we are safe in that little shell that we have created, we will never be wholly satisfied with who we are or what we are doing with our lives. We will never grow.
Over the past few months I feel like I have grown, and I hope that I find the means to continue. It's my goal to combat that laziness that I recognise within me, because it hinders me from becoming who I want to be, and all that I can be. I think it's the only way that I will find the peace that I seek.
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