HOPES AND THOUGHTS

Life is a video, not a photograph. Yet every so often, we find ourselves starring at a freeze-frame. We think of something that has recently happened or of something else that we fear may be about to happen and we treat these as fixed points. Yet history changes, at least in so far as, with the passage of time, we often come to see things differently. And the future changes, in so far as our choices and actions can always influence it, sometimes significantly. Don't underestimate your powers.Some fairly preposterous propositions are being made. The most unlikely ideas are being put forward. You have better things to do with your time and energy than listen to nonsense like this. Or have you? Somewhere within a seemingly nonsensical suggestion, is a perfectly sensible (and serviceable) solution to a problem that has long irked you. Don't be too quick to dismiss whatever is now bubbling up from the back of your own mind - or whatever a 'thoughtless friend' gives spontaneous voice.
They say, 'a watched pot never boils'. Not so. It boils just as quickly but the process seems to take longer. Ah, but we all know what happens to a cake if you keep opening the oven to see whether it is baking. That degree of inspection and intervention is definitely, demonstrably, counter-productive. Now, I'm really not trying to suggest that you should wear blinkers. Of course, there are situations that you need to monitor and evaluate but a quick glance will provide all the reassurance you need.
 What separates the present from the future? A wall of concrete, reinforced with steel? A timber fence? Or a piece of thin fabric stretched between two poles? Often, we can't be sure about the walls and barriers in our world. As long as they look solid enough, we are inclined to respect them. We might easily be able to punch a hole in them but we would really rather not risk the pain and shame of a possible failure. The distance between where you are now and where you would like to end up is shorter than you think.
Stuff happens. And it keeps on happening. And it never stops. That's the thing about stuff. There is an endless supply. It just keeps on coming. Remember the old children's tale about the magic porridge pot that never stopped supplying fresh food? Even small children know that that's a fairytale. Nothing in the world is quite so self-replicating. Well, nothing but stuff.- actually, fortunately, there is something that has the potential to recreate itself eternally. That's hope. And that's your solution to... stuff! 
If you lend me some money, I can pay it back to you with interest. Indeed, if you do that, I can afford to lend the same sum back to you and charge even more interest! Not fair? Well, why not lend it right back to me again then? You can ramp up your interest rate and charge a little extra on top. What fun we can have. Or rather, what kind of a mess can we get ourselves into? And it's not just financial transactions that can grow a little complicated if we are not careful. Think twice about who really owes what to whom.
The more we stare into an abyss, the deeper it gets. That's why we shouldn't stare!  But if we look away, what could happen? We could forget about the abyss and then inadvertently, tumble right into it. That would be no good. So we put up a sign that points towards the greatest potential problem and says: 'Abyss that way.' Now we are safe, aren't we? Well, now the sign keeps reminding us and we feel duty-bound to go and inspect the abyss once more, just to see if things have got better. Just forget the abyss Just imagine if most people ever did even a fraction of the things that they might do, could do or are, in theory, capable of. Though mainly, we look at the world and despair of all the unfulfilled potential, we should, perhaps, be glad of it. The human race consistently fails to live up to the highest standard yet that very same inadequacy means that by and large, it also fails to do its worst. Have faith in the combined forces of inertia and mediocrity, they are working in your favour.
 Does progress seem to be grinding to a halt? Do you feel as if you are turning in ever-decreasing circles, hang on a moment.  No wonder you feel as if you are caught up in some kind of vicious cycle. Actually the suggestion that you had -one vital lesson to learn , don't suppose that has helped much either. The lesson has something to do with letting go of a fear that things may never change! The English phrase, 'wild goose chase' is used to imply a plan or activity that is likely to prove futile. But have you ever actually tried chasing a wild goose? It may prove surprisingly easy. There are probably helpful tricks and techniques that you can  finding out what wild geese eat and putting some food out for them. Don't chase, just bait and wait. That's definitely the policy that you ought to pursue.So, can you trust the truce? Is it a trick designed to lull you into a false sense of security? What if you lower your guard, only to render yourself instantly vulnerable to an attack? Wouldn't you be wiser to remain vigilant and keep all your defence mechanisms firmly in place? Actually, you wouldn't. Then, you would just end up shooting yourself in the foot. Someone else genuinely wants to put the past behind them and move on. Their desire is sincere. So is yours.Appearances can be deceptive. But people are busy. Few of us have time to stop and think and even fewer of us are blessed with enough imagination and curiosity to see beyond the obvious. Viewed from one perspective, the facts in your life now appear to point to a particular conclusion. But is that really the most appropriate way to see them? Events  bless you with a rare chance to track down an elusive, somewhat subtle truth and reveal a much more inspiring insight into a sensitive situation.