Balancing Difference With Similarity

A non-neurotic nitpicking conversation

Noticing differences really aids survival… up the point of diminishing returns. Continuing along this path is counterproductive and eventually leads to anxiety of some sort. Of course, in the wild, such discernment would seldom turn as worrisome.

Civilization, in taming the wilderness, removes natural stresses that would otherwise counterbalance us, and before we know it, we’ve become neurotic nitpickers in one way or other.

Noticing similarities (mysterious sameness) softens the glare and untangles the knots which effectively supports sanity. Knowing where we are on the ball curve of balanced awareness (not too much difference or similarity) helps in this. As in maintaining physical balance, noticing when we near the tipping point allows us to maintain a situation while it is still secure. For this, we must watch our own mind as circumspectly as possible. (I suppose that’s the weakest link in this chain.)

Okay, so far so good. Of course, if it that was all there was too it, who could fail? The heart of the difficulty lies in what we think we need. Desire (think + need) drives us to gloss over differences at times, and yet make mountains out of molehills of differences at other times. Simply said, we habitually think what we need to think; we habitually see what we desire to see. No wonder thinking that one knows will lead to difficulty. Seeing boundless examples of this constantly, leaves me continually on guard for this trap in my own awareness. Thankfully, by being alive to the difficulty I seem to avoid it… somewhat. Although, how do I really know? Impartiality is the lead indicator I use.