Loopti-loop

Taken from http://dictionary.reference.com

loop-the-loop

  [loop-thuh-loop] 

noun

1.

an airplane maneuver in which a plane, starting upward, makes one complete vertical loop.

2.

a ride in an amusement park that simulates this maneuver.

Origin: 
1900–05

I assume that the word loopti-loop originated from loop-the-loop, but as with many things in life I could be absolutely wrong.  Let's pretend for a moment that I am correct for the purposes of this blog... a loopti-loop is then a big 'ole circle.   And as we know, circles just keep going.  I don't know where they begin, but they never end.  Loopti-loop.... loopti-loop.... 

I was thinking about (painful) patterns this morning.  The kind we indulge in, over and over.  

At some point in time, we are smacked in the face with clear vision.  We see our patterns right in front of us, glaring at us, almost laughing at us really.  "Oh my God... how did I not see this before?"   It's a feeling of wonderment, shock, fear maybe.  It is as though a blindfold is quickly torn from your eyes like a bandaid.  It happens just that fast. 

Wow.  I can see now.  I can now STOP myself (stop the pattern) from doing another loopti-loop.  

Or not.  

So, what happens exactly?  I wondered, why do we continue to eat the poisoned apple when we know the outcome?  Why would we voluntarily hop on a ride we know makes us motion-sick and leaves us paralyzed by discomfort?

It dawned on me that so much is clear when we feel the sting of pain.  "I am so never having a child, again.  Who would volunteer for this PAIN?  If I knew what it would be like, I would never have done this!"  -- words often heard during the plague of morning sickness... or after child birth.  But what happens is we FORGET the pain that was so raw at that very moment.  It becomes blurred with lots of happy times, everyday dramas and ultimately disappears into the oblivion of "yesterdays." 

So, I realized that once we begin to heal from our pain, and forget how much it "hurt" us, we also become very optimistic and hopeful.  Those painful patterns - or loopti-loops - that we SWORE we would never participate in, again, soon creep back into our new routines.  After all, we are solid.  We are happy, we got this.  And when we are (healthy) strong... we can handle anything.  It doesn't feel quite so bad, anymore.  We must have been exaggerating! 

It isn't until we get a bit worn down, again, that we realize we have once again put ourselves in a position we vowed to never be in, again.

How do we (truly) stop ourselves from being the gluttons for (self) punishment (pain) that we are? I wish I had an answer for you... but I don't.

My guess is that if we truly weigh all of our options with an open heart and mind, asking if this something that serves us and our highest good (not something we can DEAL WITH or TOLERATE, but something that actually benefits us or makes our heart sing) - we can distinguish that which we want to keep around versus that which we can "handle" at the moment.  Asking, is this helping me?  Is this in alignment with my goals, my vision, my heart, how I feel?  Is this something I am doing for me - or doing out of fear, guilt, for someone else, etc.?  

Though we may be all-mighty and powerful today, that does not mean we have to ressurect the loopti-loops of the past that so often made us sick and kept us from being the best versions of ourselves.  There's no need to prove our ability to "deal with" these patterns.  Toss 'em.  Make some room for new ones... healthy ones.  

Let's hear it for the ride of our lives that begins today (and everyday... each moment, actually)... 

Here we go loopty loo

Here we go loopty li

Here we go loopty loo

All on a Saturday night

Here we go way down low

Here we go way up high

Here we go way down low

We really know how to fly

Here we go round and round

Here we go fast and slow

Here we go round and round

Oh what a great way to go

Here we go up and down

Here we sit side by side

Here we go up and down

Oh what a wonderful ride

Here we go loopty loo

Here we go loopty li

Here we go loopty loo

All on a Saturday night

All on a Saturday night

All on a Saturday night