Twinn Swan

The turkey is associated with the harvest season. It symbolises the rewards that we are destined to receive for our hard work. Sometimes, the truth is, we have worked as hard as we possibly can and we have just gotten nowhere. But when the Turkey appears, it symbolises that we will, indeed, receive a handsome reward for the effort that we have put in.

If you really want the reward that you’ve been searching and working hard towards all your life, ask yourself if your community has hindered your ability to move beyond the drab and dull ordinariness that has characterised your life. In many societies and cultures, cooperation is just another word for conformance. Sometimes, or way too often, we are not rewarded for our hard work, our talent or even our intelligence. Instead, we are rewarded for nothing more than our ability to conform and cooperate with others.

This can leave a certain measure of unhappiness within us, especially if we are an outsider in that community in the first place. We have been forced, by circumstances, to be part of a community that neither understands what we have to offer nor values what we bring to the table.

Karma and reaping what you sow are two sayings that we often hear people go on about. Oh, karma is coming back to bite you in the butt! Oh, you have made a good investment in this situation and you will, very shortly, receive the rewards that you are after. Karma can go either way.

If you have shown selflessness in your life and people have taken you for granted or if you have been unable to fit in, I must ask: is conformity the only thing that is rewarded in your society? If so, my personal encouragement is: we must fix our mind on the exceptional if we want to go beyond the ordinariness. To be more than ordinary, we must not conform. Instead, we must be proud of who we are, as we are.

Desire

What we fixate on, what we ruminate on and what we allow ourselves to fall in love with becomes our whole world. That is why people will go through great lengths to do the impossible; and nowhere I have seen this more strongly and more widely than in individuals who have a dream and are willing to go through any lengths to make it come true. It is their unstoppable conviction that keeps them going despite all the naysayers, advisors and well-wishers.

That is why addiction is so powerful. That is why obsession is so hard to shake. Addiction, however, is a poor substitute. It is when the mirage of our desires seems to appear before us. It is when we fall for the mirage and think it is the real deal. It is when we fall for the wrong person, the wrong community and even allow ourselves to pursue the wrong desire.

Find what–and perhaps even who–you truly love. Discover what awakens your heart. Allow it to consume the entire fabric of your being. Anyone who has ever achieved anything that is of true value to them knows and understands the importance of having a fixed point of focus.

When we became fixated on something or someone, we allow it to transform us internally. When we are willing to allow ourselves to be swept away by a deep and enduring dream, we naturally become dependent on it. Perhaps, it, too becomes dependent on us. This dependency could be on another human being, an organisation or even a life philosophy. Through allowing ourselves to fully embrace our true dream, we discover our innate capacity to endure the worst of trials and emerge unscathed.

Letting someone or something in in such an intense degree can be dangerous. There is value in allowing the world–the external forces–to connect with us and change us. We cannot stick to our guns and become fixated. If we close off, neither the good will come in nor the bad.

We will remain mediocre and be proud of it.

Diversity and Inclusivity

Diversity and inclusivity have become buzzwords of the modern day, but in many societies, collectivism and conformity still looms large. Are you willing to take a big risk and step out of the mould that another person has created for you? Will you be rewarded for your courage or will you be shunned and ostracised?

When we finally discover that we disagree with the influence that something has on us, we can always disconnect and disengage. In allowing ourselves to oscillate between engagement and disengagement, we deepen our understanding of who we will allow ourselves to become and who we will never allow ourselves to become.

If you know that there is something inside you longing to find its expression, will you give it up due to peer pressure or pressure from society at large? If you truly want it, you won’t give it up so easily. You will stick it out no matter how much it sets you apart from everyone around you.

You do not need to focus your full attention on any one person or organisation. It is simply not possible for one option to satisfy all our needs all of the time. Diversity where you put your attention. If someone is not able to provide you with what you need, feel free to move on, at least temporarily. Will you still be intrigued when you revisit it later? Perhaps or perhaps you will realise that the time has come to move on.

Some people are capable of reciprocating and others are not. Do not allow any external influence to stall your own becoming. If you feel you have become too reliant on resources that are not allowing you to grow, shed away those scenarios. You will be thankful that you did.

The Inner Child

The inner child within us never dies. I know that mine still hasn’t. The child aspect in us is also easily hurt and wounded. While we usually think that children symbolise the spirit of discovery, we also know that they are vulnerable and in need of care. They are in a state of dependence and if the people around them let them down, they may not realise that the reason is not personal at all. They may blame and punish themselves instead.

If you are encountering inner child issues, the important thing here is not to punish and judge yourself for how people treated you when you were young. Sometimes, the old guys just didn’t know any better. If you didn’t have the best of childhoods, know that your inner child will heal and grow up to be wise and strong.

It is not possible to teach anyone to be a decent human being. That is why most people would rather conform to an external set of value than try to understand what their inner compass is urging them to do.

Let someone you truly desire into your heart and into your life. Reclaim your own independence. Sometimes, it is wiser to return to where we first started than to start anew yet again. Trust me when I say that history will not repeat itself. Know that this time around, it will be a whole new adventure and not the same one that you had the last time. You will have the new beginning you always dreamt of and so much more. You will be stronger than ever for you are no longer a vulnerable child, but a resilient adult.

When you open your eyes, you will realise that your dream has come true.