Today I am thankful for my shortcomings. Now, most people would probably question the statement that I just made, and rightfully so. It’s not often that you encounter someone who says that they are thankful for their shortcomings. I understand that, and I recognize that that might sound strange to you, but I encourage you to go with me on this one.
Shortcomings generally are not fun and can, in many cases, cause major issues for those who possess them as well as those who find themselves on the receiving end of the effects that those shortcomings can have on others. So, the overall consensus is that shortcomings are not elements of life that are desirable. And because of that reality, it is likely that a good majority of us try to evict the various shortcomings that plague us from our lives every chance that the opportunity presents itself to us to do so.
However, though I can thoroughly relate to and respect that belief, I have come to realize that, for me, instead of focusing solely on evicting shortcomings from my life, it is better that I take some time to evaluate them, assess the effects that they have on my life and on the lives of my loved ones, and discover and consider the many things that those shortcomings can reveal about me, my character, and who I am as a person.
Our shortcomings, often referred to as our faults or weaknesses, truly can reveal a lot about who we are, what is and is not important to us, what motivates us, what is of concern to us, what is damaging to us, what is essential to and for us, etc. And most of us probably think that our strengths and the many positive aspects that are associated with us would reveal more about who we are than our shortcomings would, but that is not necessarily so.
After all, when you think about it, the majority of us probably would find it to be rather easy to rattle off a substantial number of positive qualities that we possess and detail how those positive qualities positively affect our lives and the lives of others. Yet, were we to attempt to list the negative qualities that we possess and the negative effects that they potentially have on our lives and on the lives of others, it would likely be a trying and emotionally difficult task, because as human beings we typically feel uncomfortable with having to acknowledge the not-so-positive aspects about ourselves and the effect that they have on ourselves and others. And because that process tends to cause us to experience a substantial reduction in our level of comfort we tend to focus on the positive aspects of ourselves rather than those that are less so.
Yet, taking the time to consider our shortcomings aids us in our quest to become the people whom we were created to be by revealing to us some of the underlying reasons why we are the way that we are and the reasons why we do the things that we do; and they also demonstrate to us which aspects of ourselves truly are damaging and need to be evicted from our lives, as well as those that simply require slight adjustment. We are all unique individuals and our shortcomings are no less a manifestation of that than are our strengths. So, why not allow them to open our eyes and help us to improve ourselves and the world in the process. #lovebythedrop
love by the drop 