Belief

I have a little rock on my desk.  It’s painted gold and has “Believe” carved on it.  It was a Christmas gift from my very best friend.

Believe.  What does that mean?  The dictionary says it means “to have confidence in the truth, the existence, or the reliability of something, although without absolute proof that he is right in doing so ….”

Whether the belief is psychological or religious doesn’t matter.  Holding that confidence in the truth of something is what matters.  Knowing that I don’t have to “prove” anything matters, too.  I am free to be me…..and to believe what I believe.

The things most of us believe are a product of the years we have been on this planet.  Our experiences, our education, our environment, and those who have been in our lives have influenced both our beliefs and our ability to believe in anything or anybody.

Beliefs form the basis of our self-evaluations and our self-confidence.  If I believe that I cannot do something, I will probably, subconsciously, prove myself right…  But, if I believe that I CAN do something, I will prejudice myself to succeed.  At least, that’s what I believe.

And I don’t believe in resignation, for the most part.  To resign is to accept what might not be acceptable.  To settle for less than we want, or need.  To put upper limits on our abilities.  To believe, falsely, that there is no room for better ways or better days.

I am not resigned to living a lesser life.   I am dedicated to the belief that, no matter what comes along, I will be able to make the best of it.  And survive.  More than survive….thrive.  I believe in the power of the human mind and spirit to overcome supposedly insurmountable odds.  I believe that, given an opportunity, I can make the very most of it for myself and for others.

Call it what you want: belief, stubbornness, stupidity, or maybe just hope….  I will continue to do everything in my power to make my life all that it can be.

Cali