So, Why “Amazing?”

This year I attended a 4th of July fireworks display in Maui. I hadn’t been to an official fireworks display in several years, primarily because of CoVid restrictions, and after such a long hiatus, this celebration did not disappoint. Twenty minutes of extravagant, colorful, explosive light designs launched over the harbor, parading in rapid succession against the backdrop of a deep blue-black velvet night sky wowed and excited awestruck onlookers. It was exceptionally spectacular!

I suppose, like that fireworks display, we could have spectacular relationships that tantalize and incessantly overstimulate our senses, but I doubt our human psyche is designed to sustain such overstimulation–think the initial headiness of a new relationship– and I suspect we would become quickly fatigued. In fact, perhaps that’s partially the reason so many relationships, if not chronically unhappy, simply reside at a comfortable level of mundane mediocrity, because that is physiologically sustainable, though uninspiring and psychologically draining.

I propose a better option to both ends of this relating spectrum is: amazing. Amazing means to cause “astonishment, great wonder or surprise.” I believe we can have relationships that cause others and, who knows, maybe even ourselves, astonishment, great wonder and pleasant surprise. We can choose to consistently relate in a manner that builds others up, encourages, loves and that will leave in its wake wonder, astonishment and pleasant surprise; and without compromising fundamental boundaries of self and mutual respect. This does not mean you will always FEEL loved or even liked, but you will enjoy the awareness that you are being intentional about choosing the nature, character and extent of your interactions and the confidence that comes from knowing that you are successfully managing your relationships to avoid unnecessary unpleasantness or, even worse, loss of emotional control.

So, let’s choose to have AMAZING interactions and relationship every day. Like me, you will discover that this is both sustainable and rewarding. So, go ahead…choose AMAZING!!

8/21/2022

Choose AMAZING!!