Going around in circles

I don't know about you, but sometimes I feel like I am going around in circles. Lately, that's had to do with my being the perfect patient, in my not-so-humble opinion, and not seeing the healing results I think should be there. A visit with the doc today will, I'm sure, bring some clarity for one of us at least.

But I am also thinking of other areas in life where we work and work on something only to see the same issue arise once again. It could be falling for the same type of person in relationships, continuing to attract the same sort of soul-destroying job or boss, or the bank account that refuses to stay full. After awhile we begin to feel like we're on the hamster wheel going around and around. But we're not.

Life does not move in circles. It moves in spirals. Each time we revisit an issue or situation, we've grown. We understand more. We get to attack our issue with renewed fervor, grace, and commitment. The next time you feel like saying, "Oh, darn it, I've done it again. When will I learn?" say this instead.

"How is this time different? What do I know now that I didn't know before? How can I apply what I have learned?  I am in a growth spiral, not a circle." Then celebrate and dig in once again.

Here's a picture of an ammonite fossil I have. It is said these creatures lived in the seas between 240-65 million years ago when they became extinct along with the dinosaurs. I meditate on this piece when I want to remember that I am moving in spirals, not circles, and that growth can take time. Isn't nature amazing? Maybe I'll show it to my doc.