This morning, I spent some laughable minutes watching my cat trying to open the bedroom door. She spies it, judges the height, is focused and ready with her hindlegs haunched, and then, boiiing! Up!
She jumps up and clasps the handle with her front paws, and just for a minuscule of time, she is actually hanging on to the handle. Letting her weight and gravity bring the handle down, she tries to open the door. Back on the ground, she gives the door a gentle push. This has worked before. Unfortunately for her this time, the door is locked. After a few tries, she attempts to jiggle the key with one outstretched paw, but to no avail. Poor kitty doesn't know yet how to turn the key the right way. She really wants to sleep on our nice comfy and clean bedsheets, away from the other noisy cat. She'll come back and try later. Perhaps the door will be unlocked then.
Sometimes I wonder if I am not a "kitty" myself, trying to open a door that is locked. I am trying to figure out as well how to to open my own doors, sitting comfortably in front of my computer. How do I turn the proverbial key? Why do I desire to open a particular door more than another? Aren't there just more doors and jumps and keys to find and figure out how to open?
Watching Kitty door opening is a lot like watching or playing a video game. For example, Crash Bandicoot, my nephew's favorite. There are all sorts of things and doors and tricks you have to figure out how to play to get more points, to win. It is just fun playing the game. Sometimes, it is enjoyable to watch him get a bit frustrated when he can't jump over the bridge or whatever it is to get to the next level to get some diamond or clue. But it is cute, his frustration, because he is learning. (No I am not a sadistic aunt who enjoys seeing beings frustrated and denied because they don't know how to "open a door"or "jump").
That is what is so amazing for me. We are all on different parts of the learning spectrum, some of us have clearly mastered "jumping" and "turning keys" to open doors of opportunities for themselves, and some have clearly not mastered it and are still frustrated, and have feelings of anxiety and nervousness because of this repeated denial or rejection. What I am trying to say is that, no matter where we are on this spectrum, we have to feedback -- help those who haven't mastered, and learn from those who have.
Try another door. Try another key. Try another angle to jump. Change your motivation. Change what you want and need. Just don't ever give up!
However, I can't stand those masters of "jumping" who say "Just Do It!" or "it's easy once you know how". The simple knowledge or ability is clearly not enough, and it actually may differ from person to person. It takes time, it takes patience, and it takes lots and lots of experience to know thy self and to know why we are trying to open particular doors. Perhaps once we know this why, the solution (i.e., the key that opens the door) will come to us much more easily, or we will decide consciously to seek another door, as the reasons are no longer compelling enough.
"Because I can" is not a rational reason. Doors are there, obstacles are there for a reason, but we may not know why all the time. And perhaps that is for the best, as we keep on learning...
