I watched the older woman with MS on television allow herself to be pushed in multiple races by her daughter. That woman didn't have the capacity to run or climb mountains, yet her daughter was giving her that experience by pushing her in a specially designed chair. Tomorrow she'll "run" in the Boston Marathon with her daughter once again pushing her along. That woman is a good example of how open mindedness can provide us with amazing experiences in life--the woman could have been resistant to her daughter's will to push her in multiple races, and that resistance would have prohibited the many extraordinary experiences she's had.
We all make choices in life, and those choices are impacted by our mindset. Having an open mind, flexibility, and the willingness to reflect and discuss our choices gives us greater capacity with regard to what we do and how we do it. I don''t know if I would be the kind of person who would let my child push me in races up mountains or along city streets. It's not that I'm closed minded to the idea, but instead it's because I don't like to be that visible--I prefer quieter spaces.
As I get older, however, I want to remain flexible and open minded to the possibilities life holds, and when I make choices, I want people to realize that those are my choices, choices they shouldn't feel guilty or bad about, but choices I am making at this stage of my life.
Years ago when I was in my twenties, I used to feel bad for some older folks in my family. Compared to my very active life, their lives seemed sendentary and dull. Now that I'm the age those folks were back then, I realize that it was unlikely that they were bored with their lives, but instead they were choosing what they wanted to do. I'm sure my kids look at my life and think it's a bit dull, but for me, it's just perfect--I love the rhythm, space and time my life provides right now. I enjoy the quiet moments, regular schedule and ability to invest in my passions and interests. I'm also happy that my children, like me, are enjoying and making the most of their youthful energy, relationships and challenges. As my mom would remind me time and again, we have to enjoy the stage we're in because every stage in life has its own special rewards and interests.
As I grow older, I want to remain open minded to the ever changing opportunities in life, and I want to think and act creatively, appreciatively and lovingly with regard to those opportunities. Our mindsets make a big difference with regard to the way we live life, and to have an open mindset to life's possibilities and positivity definitely makes life better. Don't you agree?