Seeing Poeple For What They Are

Do you know some of the super-rich, super powerful, or some of the famous people?  What goes through your mind when you interact with them?

I used to keep my distance. My spiritual mind-set had a problem with them.  I used to think that they only care about money, power and fame. I also thought everything was just an act to show off. It looked like we were people from different worlds.

But alas, a learning opportunity seemed to be in the making. As I was walking the Tao, I had many encounters with them.  I found I could learn from everyone.

When I really observed my feelings I found that the wealthy or famous people hurt my ego. They made me feel inferior and they touched some dark spots which I tried to hide from myself. Being exposed to these people to me was just like being naked in public.

So one day I decided to dig a little deeper. Luckily, the Tao gives me plenty of opportunities. I found that I could actually learn a lot of from these people. They don’t succeed for no reason. Most of them are willing to overcome what ordinary people are unwilling to do and they even enjoy going the extra mile. They have incredible determination, self-discipline, courage, and are always ready to take action. Many of the people I met are not cold-blooded at all. They care about their families and spend quality time with them.

As I hang out with them, their positive qualities shine through and they show their beauty to me. It turns out they have something good and nice to share with this world!  Wealth is neither good nor bad, it all depends on what you do with it. These rich people deserve their good life. They work for it. They deserve our respect.

As I contemplated all these things I suddenly understood that I used to try to protect my self-image. I was spiritual, I was good and they were bad. I used money as a yard stick to evaluate people. How convenient, what a nice escape from facing my issues. So my advice to you, if you keep on bumping into people you care less about, have another look. Maybe you learn something new and worthwhile you didn't appreciate before. And maybe you discover something about yourself that you hadn't realized before. Remember, every encounter the Tao arranges for you is worth your while!

By Su Zhen