Avoiding Five Great Mistakes

As an octogenarian or a nonagenarian enters their time of sunset, retaining their right mind, they perhaps have time to consider their lives. Where have they been successful, and where have they wasted good opportunities?

These, below, are five great mistakes we’re bound to make, but with time we can correct:

1. Allowing Others, Or Our Circumstances, To Upset Us

Interpersonal mastery is not about having influence, or having it over others, as much as it’s the cherished ability to live in a natural harmony with humanity in general. So many so-called mature adults, however, never learn to control the soul-bending anger created in their responses to others’ attitudes and behaviour.

This is a great mistake. It’s better by far to consider that upsets are ever-present. It’s ourselves that needs to change; our responses, not theirs, are the problem and the solution.

2. Seeking Others’ Approval

Everyone wants to be liked, it seems, especially in today’s social media world. We do so much to attract acceptance and we avoid rejection like the plague. But seeking others’ approval, and we do it in so many ways we’re unaware of, is forlorn for disappointment.

It’d be far better to do what we can in our relationships—what we should—and then throw caution to the wind. What can another person’s approval or disapproval really mean? Is it always worth the compromise? Why do we sell ourselves for a lie?

3. Failing To Master The Art Of Personal Reflection

This one is a marked travesty. To our inability to reflect comes the proportion of true wastage in life, for only in reflection is there learning, and without learning life is utterly meaningless. The purpose for life is growth—through the lifespan.

Not only that, but reflection redoubles life. If the spiritually abundant life is our quest, and it should be, only via reflection do we pack more meaning into our few years here upon this earth.

Additionally, what better motive is there in life than getting to know and accept ourselves—our truer selves? This we can never achieve ultimately, but we’re blessed to try.

4. Opting For Materialism, Any Time, Over Spiritualism

We run after many mirages. These things always have form or a shape; they’re visible, but temporal; things we can touch, but fleeting.

Far beyond anything we see are many things fundamentally more appropriate so far as the truth’s concerned. Nothing that can be bought or attained has much value at all. All humanity is in the same predicament, no matter how much we acquire.

It’s wisdom to prefer a vibrant spirituality over all the silver and gold, and status, in the world.

5. Not Understanding And Not Relating With God

The effect of this personal travesty—to not know our Higher Power—however, or whoever, we determine that to be, and infinitely better if it’s Jesus Christ—is never less significant than any other issue. All good things lead from this Divine path. This path is life.

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Five great mistakes threaten us with the wasting of our lives. It’s far better to be beyond upsetting, not to seek others’ approval, to master the art of reflection, to opt against materialism, and, finally, to understand and know God.

© 2012 S. J. Wickham.