We Assign Meaning

“No situation can have a nature independent of the perception of its interpreter or independent of the rhetoric with which he chooses to characterize it.” – Richard E. Vatz, The Myth of the Rhetorical Situation

If Vatz is correct, then events have no objective meaning in themselves. Meaning is only ascribed once a situation is observed and filtered through a person’s perceptions.

I believe that all things have energy, that all things are energy. Of course tangible items like places, buildings, rooms, cats, have their own energy. Consider also that thoughts, feelings, vibes man, situations, events, et al. have their own energy as well. The sovereignty of an energetic stamp may grant everything its own objective meaning. I have no idea. This might be akin to the whole tree falls in the forest, no one is around, does it make a sound thought experiment.

Beyond any objective meaning that may or may not exist, we assign our own meaning to the situations in our lives.

Whoa – that’s a powerful assertion. We assign the meaning, positive or negative, to the situations in our lives.

When something bad happens, like losing a job, enduring a breakup, gaining 8-pounds because of that once-kicked, now-resurrected cupcake addiction, we get to choose the meaning of the situation. Losing a job can be taxing, but it could also mean a long-awaited opportunity to switch careers. Breakups suck, no doubt; however, the meaning you choose could be that ripped-wide-open, safe-haven, you-are-literally-a-piece-of-my-soul Love awaits on the post-healing horizon.

Basically, we can spin absolute sh*it into gold.

You have the power to choose the meaning of the things that happen in your life.

You have the power to reject the notion that bad things happen to you.

You have the power to assign a silver lining to any situation.

You have the power to ascribe positive meaning to your life’s events, and where you cannot find any positive meaning, you can create positive meaning. The choice is yours.