Crater Lake Insight

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We received another contribution to our newsletter from one of our readers. Read on for an excellent reminder about the power of thought. Please keep your stories and ideas coming.

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All of us at Insight Principles

Crater Lake Insight

While visiting Crater Lake in Oregon last month, I stopped by the main lodge to get lunch. August is a busy month around the lake. It took me a while to find parking. After I had lunch, I was walking back to my car when I noticed a young woman in her car circling around looking for a spot to park. Her friend whom I had seen in the lodge a few moments before got in the car and asked why she was wasting time and not driving further down the road to find a spot.

An argument ensued and soon the two women were screaming at each other. The driver put the car in park so she could wave both her hands angrily in the air. This went on for at least two minutes during which time four nearby cars left and new cars parked in their spots. I approached the car and got the driver’s attention and told her that I was about to leave and that she could take my spot.

As I was driving away, I thought to myself how this couple’s fighting prevented them from noticing that the problem they were fighting about was solved four times over! Furthermore, Crater Lake is a magical place and it was a shame to be arguing instead of enjoying the breathtaking views.

The phrase, “beauty is in the eye of the beholder,” came to my mind. We can be in the most beautiful place in the world, but if we are busy minded or experiencing negative thoughts or spun up, we will miss it. Our thoughts about our surroundings rather than our surroundings are responsible for our experiences. Crater Lake continues to be there in all her majesty so we might as well enjoy!

-Helia Hatefi

Thank you Helia for reminding us about the actual source of our moment-to-moment experience. Thought instantly paints a vivid and compelling picture of “reality,” and all of us get fooled from time to time. Sometimes we take in the beauty of our surroundings. Sometimes we quietly listen to an upset, anxious friend with compassion. And sometimes we get hoodwinked and react with anger or frustration.

All are normal, human experiences, but it is important to remember that it often appears we are experiencing what is happening, not what we are thinking about what is happening.

Luckily, the moment we remember how the mind actually works, we come back. We see how to respond or react with common sense. And we free up some mental space to take in the beauty of the world around us.

Sandy Krot

©Insight Principles, Inc.