When Situations Repeat

"Sometimes in life, your situation will keep repeating itself until you learn your lesson."

-- Unknown

Blogger Joseph Summers wrote an article, "Unwanted Situations Will Keep Happening Until You Learn Your Lesson."  It was worth the read, but the site was not secure so I opted to not include the URL in this post.  I mention it only because the title is similar to the opening quote for this post.  Another article began with, "If we don't accept or learn from our life lessons, we become trapped in a vicious cycle of unwanted situations."  There are many other iterations of this, so it seems to be a popular thought, and one I keep bringing up where life is concerned.

This life, like the lives before it, is all about learning lessons we need to move forward in our existence.  This life, like all life, will come to an end when this biological shell wears out.  At this point, if we are prepared, we will move forward into another existence in order to learn everything we need to move forward from there, and so on.  If you slack off and don't learn the lessons you need, you will have to repeat this life until you learn.  Déjà Vu might just be your memory of being down this road before.

Rich and thoughtless, or poor and happily on welfare for life.  Same person, two different lessons, both doomed to repeat life until they learn neither way is right.  The poor need to rise above it and the rich need to mentor and show them how.  Give a man a fish and he eats for a night.  Teach a man to fish and he will become more than he is - self-sufficient.  I'm all about tough love.  If someone doesn't want to "learn to fish" because their happy mooching your fish, take your fishing poles and leave.  Starvation is a great motivator.  Is this thoughtless?  No.  It is motivation.  Taking my fish so you don't have to exert yourself, now that's thoughtless.

I keep saying that life is about choices and decisions.  Make good choices and you will probably have good circumstances or at least better than if you made bad choices.  My theory is that we're here to learn lessons so we can move forward.  If you prefer to sit on your ass and do nothing, you will continue to repeat this life until you learn the lessons so you can graduate.  This repeating life will become your chosen "hell on earth" until you wake up.

Make good choices, and be happy always!

Editor's Note

(Re: disclaimer cum "get out of jail free" card)

Before you go getting your panties in a bunch, it is essential to understand that this is just an opinion site and, as such, can be subjected to scrutiny by anyone with a differing opinion. It doesn't make either opinion any more right or wrong than the other. An opinion, presented in this context, is a way of inciting others to think and, hopefully, to form opinions of their own, if they haven't already done so. This is also why, occasionally, I will present an "opinion" just to stir an emotional pot. Where it may sound like I agree with the statements made, I'm more interested in getting others to consider an alternate viewpoint. 

It is my fervent hope that we keep open and active minds when reading opinions and while engaging in peaceful and constructive discussion, in an arena of mutual respect, concerning those opinions put forth. After over twenty years with military intelligence, I have come to believe engaging each other in this manner and in this arena is the way we will learn tolerance and respect for differing beliefs, cultures, and viewpoints.

We all fall from grace, some more often than others; it is part of being human. God's test for us is what we learn from the experience, and what we do afterward.

Pastor Tony spent 22 years with the United States Air Force Intelligence as a planner, analyst, briefer, instructor, and senior manager. He spent 17 years, following his service career, working with the premier, world-renowned, Institutional Review Board helping to protect the rights of human subjects involved in pharmaceutical research. Ordained 1n 2013 as an "interfaith" minister, he founded the Congregation for Religious Tolerance in response to intolerance shown by Christians toward peaceful Islam. As the weapon for his war on intolerance he chose the pen, and wages his "battle" in the guise of the Congregation's official online blog, The Path, of which he is both author and editor. "The Path" offers a vehicle for commentary and guidance concerning one's own personal, spiritual, path toward peace and the final destination for us all. He currently resides in Pass Christian, Mississippi, where he volunteers as lead Chaplain and Chaplain Program Liaison, at the regional medical center.