Falling in Love with Potential
By: Monica Renata
Potential
adjective
Having or showing the capacity to become or develop into something in the future
Noun
Latent qualities or abilities that may be developed and lead to future success or usefulness
Potential………I so many times fall in love with potential…. Not what something actually is, but what it could be. That unmasked greatness that just hasn’t rose from the dark valleys of the unknown yet. That spirit which is unmatched by many yet IT does not know…….That possibility of what I truly desire, but what was before me wasn’t quite it but it was close……..
I fell in love with potential. I overlooked the things that bothered me or the things that I didn’t like and I said that there was nowhere to go but UP from here. I decided not to accept someone for who they really were, but who they had the possibility to be…
The thin line that I decided to walk…….That balance beam that was over thousands of prickly needles……… With no other thoughts in my mind I decided to move forward and neglect what was in my face because I was blinded by potential and what someone else could possibly be……….How many times have you been blinded as well?
Too many times we overlook what is in front of us and look ahead to what we want to see. We see the flaws at hand, yet we tell ourselves that those flaws will heal with time and turn into something beautiful. In actuality, that may happen sometimes, but that is not always the case.
Potential………. I have always heard that I have potential. In all honesty, some only loved me because of that. As I think back on it now, I realize how inadequate I felt. I always felt like I never was good enough. I felt as though I was good, but I could be better if only I could reach my utmost potential. That type of thinking can turn a positive mind into a self-conscious mind. ..For a person to wake up every day and do their best yet their best isn’t good enough for them because they have been told that the level at which they are at is not considered their utmost potential by others…That’s painful to wake up to each day. ….. And also, even though you may reach what others considered your “utmost potential” that may still never be good enough…….Trust me, I know.
But alas, I didn’t learn. I too became one who loved potential yet didn’t acknowledge the reality that was in front of my own face. I pretended that everyone was but a game piece in my world. I held some to the side for use later because I just knew that if given more time they could turn out to be better than what I actually perceived them to be. I did not think of their feelings, I simply said “you are good but you are not good enough yet”…….and that is so wrong.
Potential………I so many times fall in love with potential…. Not what something actually is, but what it could be. I sell myself short, and also I sell others short by doing this. And I’m pretty sure you have done this as well.
Always love people for who they are, not who they might be. Sometimes we take for granted the person we have right in front of our face because we are waiting for that person who doesn’t exist to make their appearance. We all know we can become better people. We all know that if given the time and the resources we can better our future selves……We all know we have potential…..but we should never love that potential over what we currently see in the mirror each and every day.
Love people for who they are now. Love yourself for who you are now. Worry about the future, but don’t obsess over it. Love in the present, and stop holding out your love on something or someone that isn’t there just yet.
Potential ……..is a great thing……..but not something to fall in love with.
Have a great day,
Monica Renata