I came across a really powerful sentence from a book I read (Everything Is Spiritual) that stuck with me. It was, “Until you’re ready for something, it’s just words.”
That resonates somewhere deep within me.
It’s no secret that I actively seek out quotes, sayings, books, poems, articles, and anything that even slightly seems like I will learn something new from it. Whether it’s for pure fun or pure education, I crave reading. Given how much information I’m exposed to on a daily basis, I couldn’t possibly resonate with everything I come across. I find many passages to be valuable, but that doesn’t mean every one strikes a chord within me. That’d actually diminish the value of what does resonate with me.
Look at it like this:
Think of all the times you’ve driven down the streets in the town you live in. Has there ever been a time you were driving and noticed a house you swore you’d never seen before? One that was nestled between a few familiar houses? Did you look at it and think, “I’ve never actually seen that house”? Why haven’t you? Well, there are probably a lot of reasons why, but the truth is, your eyes have definitely taken in the image of that house before. You’re just noticing it for the first time. You’re giving it active attention and conscious thought. That is why you’re finally “seeing” it.
It’s the same with words. A lot of times we hear things, and they go in one ear and out the other. I’m no psychologist, but if we retained everything we ever heard, I’m pretty sure we’d be... unwell, to say the least.
What am I trying to get at?
You don’t hear something until you’re ready for it.
You won’t hear your mom’s advice, friend’s suggestion, or mentor’s guidance. You won’t hear your own voice or the wisdom being showered over you until you’re ready for it.
Above everything, it’s important for me to bring attention to this especially given I have a blog. I have so much to say and so much I want to share. That does not mean everything I say will be of value to you or even should be of value to you. Likewise, if you don’t connect with something you read elsewhere, that doesn’t mean it’s not valuable or inspirational, it may just mean it’s not for you at that given time.
One time I read a book and wanted to highlight certain sentences because I found them really profound. I didn’t have a highlighter near me at the time, so I resorted to folding the top right-hand corner of the page instead. I told myself that I would definitely know which sentences really struck a chord just be knowing what pages they were on.
Fast forward to a few months later. I picked up that same book and read the pages that were folded at the top. I had no idea which sentences I thought were profound anymore. I was a little surprised that I was so unfazed considering my initial reactions to said sentences were strong, but the truth is, none of them stuck out to me.
All of this goes to show that if it is supposed to mean something to you, it will resonate. If it’s meant to roll off your back, it won’t resonate. There is nothing wrong with either. Timing plays a big factor into what resonants and what doesn’t. What we once found really profound may be less impactful now, but that doesn’t mean we read/received “right” or “wrong” advice, it may just mean it’s no longer for us.
It’s clear to me that when I first read the book I previously mentioned, I was reading more than just words on a page. Those words were meant to move me at the time I read because I was ready for them. Had I reread said book, a lot of content that didn’t resonate with me the first time probably would have resonated with me the second time.
There are really two takeaway points here:
What you “hear” when you hear it, is important for you to embody, employ, or retain.
What you don’t “hear” when you hear it, is important from a conceptual standpoint. (Meaning, just be aware that there are words we don’t “hear” even when we hear them.)
You’ll hear a lot of words in your lifetime. Allow what resonates with you to move you, change you, or do whatever it’s supposed to do when it’s presented to you. Trust that you will learn the lessons you need to, see what you're supposed to, and hear the right advice when you're ready for it. Know that, and honor that.
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