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I was listening to a Christian radio station a few days ago and a pastor from a church in Louisville, Kentucky was speaking about “AHA” moments.  Despite my prior devotion to Oprah I had no idea that it could be an acronym or anything beyond a light bulb moment.

I was actually experiencing an AHA moment learning about AHA moments (it’s okay if you need to read that twice).   Breaking the experience down into an acronym made it take on a whole new light (pun intended).

A = Awakening

H = Honesty

A = Action

My take on the process goes like this: In order for the moment to become a true life lesson there must first be an awakening or a new understanding.  Then you must honestly admit or realize this new understanding to be true.  Finally you take action to change the behavior or belief.  AHA! I get it….

But wait…there is a catch.  What if you are really bad about the honesty part?  What if you are so deep in your victim mentality that the truth is warped out of perspective?  What if “your” honesty smacks of self-centeredness and “poor me-ness?”

This is how we bullshit ourselves.

We believe we know the truth.

What we really only know is our own bullshit.

We believe that we weren’t loved enough or given enough opportunities.  We believe that our families let us down or our boss was a jerk.  We hold on to past hurts because we believe they define us.  They are the litmus test for who is worthy to stay in our lives and who gets the cut.  They become the  so-called “healthy boundaries” people set up to prevent future “hurts.”

Louisville pastor-guy suggests that we have friends around who can help us “keep things real.”  You know, that girlfriend who will tell you you’ve gained weight; a twelve-step sponsor or spiritual director with a “welcome” reality check.

Yeah, right (LOL).  Since we’re talking about honesty here, how many friends do you have that will call you out on your shit and you’ve kept them  on your “friend list?”

Do you know that one person who likes to point out everyone else’s shortcomings but will turn on you the minute you shed light on their’s?  Why so defensive?  Because all of their shortcomings have a story behind them; a good reason to cling to their “victimhood.”

People….truth is elusive.  It’s relative.  It’s personal.  So I’m changing the acronym.

H = HUMILITY

Awakening, Humility, Action…

Awakening to your own perfectly flawed nature creates its own call to action.  When you can see that everyone, and I mean everyone, spends their lives defending their faults instead of embracing them you will have a new perspective on the people you share this planet with.

You will own your shit instead of burying it. 

You will admit that you suck on occasion.

You will ask for forgiveness.

You will be more forgiving.

You will learn what it means to be BOTH flawed AND perfect.

You will be humble and you will be human.

AHA…

PS:  Carrie Hilgert is an artist/photographer whose blog I love (not to mention her amazing art).  She has a character, perhaps even an alter ego, that she’s created named Myrtle.  Myrtle will help you own your shit.  Check her out at askmyrtle.com.