Life Is a Treasure Hunt

Once upon a time there was an unusually optimistic little boy named Max. Max’s parents were worried that he was actually incapable of seeing the world like a normal kid, so they decided to take him to a psychiatrist to see if she could talk some sense into him. The psychiatrist was getting frustrated with Max’s absolute refusal to perceive negativity and was ready to try anything. Christmas was coming and she made a wild suggestion to Max’s parents. Instead of gifts this year, she encouraged them to fill the back yard with horse manure. Not knowing what else to do, his parents agreed. On Christmas morning, they were shocked to see Max, instead of being horrified, actually shrieking with delight. “Why are you so happy, Max?” his parents demanded. “Can’t you see? With all this manure, there must be a pony here somewhere!” This is an extreme example, to be sure, but I do strongly believe and continue to prove that: Everything either IS a gift or it HAS a gift! We all love the experiences that immediately feel like a gift – the financial windfall, the perfect job offer, the date with the wonderful someone. It’s the other experiences – the ones that are masquerading as something unwanted – that require a shift in perception. What if you truly believed that the very unwanted situation you are experiencing is actually a gift in disguise? If you really believed there was a gift waiting for you, would you start looking for it? Would you make it fun? Would you turn it into a treasure hunt? Everything changes when you align with this new perspective. You no longer give in to suffering and despair. You’re too busy looking for and finding treasures! Instead of responding from a low vibration: *“Why me?” *“I never get a break.” *“Why can’t I ever get what I want?” Maintain your power by sincerely asking: *“What’s the gift in this situation?” *“What’s perfect about this?” *“What’s the wonderful thing that will come of this?” This is what the Buddhists call turning poison into medicine. The Law of Attraction teaches that we attract what we focus on. If we give into a mindset of “life sucks,” we will experience one sucky experience after another. However, if we choose the mindset of “life is good!” and maintain the willingness to find the gift in everything, we will experience a steady stream of good times. Life is a treasure hunt, so no matter what happens, let’s focus all our resources on finding the treasure. And, like Max, we’ll be happy and excited knowing there must be a pony here somewhere! Everything either IS a gift or it HAS a gift!