Riding on the hike and bike path I came across a fallen tree blocking my path. It had been weakened by numerous storms and finally given way.
I picked up my bike and carried it over the trunk. Returning, I repeated the process, stepping over the huge obstacle and found myself thinking, "I'm glad this big old tree didn't fall on someone!"
Others made comments as they neared the fallen tree: A walker said, "Now here is something to make my walk more interesting!" Another said, "Those lazy maintenance people - don't they do their jobs anymore?"
One fallen tree, a neutral event, and three different interpretations.
Isn't that just the way life is too? How often do we project onto situations and circumstances previous experiences and beliefs? Rain is just rain. To a business woman and her family on the beach for one week of the year, rain can be an unwelcome visitor. To a farmer with a field full of parched crops, rain can be a Godsend.
There is a Zen saying, "The obstacle is the path." What obstacle is in your path and how are your interpreting it?