The World Hasn't Changed - You Have

I see two identical twin boys

walking along the street at night.

One of them has dark sun glasses on;  the World looks like a dark, unfriendly place to him.

The road seems gloomy, each corner looks more foreboding, each shadow looks deeper, each ally more threatening, each person more suspicious.

Even though he is walking the same path as his brother, and looking as confident on the outside, inside of him is a fear, a hesitancy, a distrust. A reluctance to try anything new. He has more to overcome than his brother.

The world isn't different, he is.

They both walk into a shop. It is night and he is wearing sun glasses. “Why is everyone looking at me funny” he observes. The world is an unfriendly place to him. People act strangely around him, edge away from him. They feel there is something odd about him, but can’t put their finger on it. He senses this and feels uncomfortable.

After years, this underlying discomfort becomes familiar. Becomes home. He learns to live with this feeling, this niggling distrust, this fear. He carries a heavier load than other people, lives a half-life.

The world isn't an unpleasant place,
but he perceives it as such.

“Take your dark glasses off” I beg him, “the world will seem brighter and your load lighter”.

“Oh no” he replies, “I can’t take them off because they are part of my Identity. These dark glasses are who I am. They are my image, my persona to the world. If I remove them, I will lose my Identity. I will lose who I am”.

How sad, for someone to link their entire existence with the filters on their eyes  and the beliefs in their head.
(You are far more than what you believe. Beware which beliefs you adopt -
are they True?  Make them yours, own them, or discard them).

One day, he decided to stop being a Coward, to stop hiding behind his Preconceived Filters, and he removed the dark glasses. Suddenly the World opened up to him. He could see clearly. There were no shadows. There was no fear anymore. Nothing looked sinister or suspicious. He could trust other people. People became pleasant towards him and accepted him. They invited him into their circles and loved him. His confidence grew, and he began trying new things. He no longer lives a half-life, he is enjoying every moment. Everything became an adventure for him; Play instead of hard work.

The World didn't change - He Did.

His perception changed.  His outlook changed.
His focus changed.

That’s the only power we have, to change ourselves.
And that is a TREMENDOUS power.