Life is like a dream (Part 2)

I had a moment of enlightenment the other day, that I would like to share.

My epiphany: Life is like a dream.

What does that mean?

All our desires, all our expectations, all the ideas we hold on to, things that rock us up emotionally (inciting hurt, fear, anger), are nothing in the grand scheme of things. When the moment of intense negative emotion is over (ie. when you 'awaken'), you will always look back and think how silly it was to have felt and responded as such. 

All things are temporary, impermanent in the flow of life. Yes, even the emotional triggers that we perceived to be important to us (pride, ego, expectations). No matter how we may react to a situation, time and life goes on. However, how we decide to react (or not react), changes how our own life can change. React negatively, your life changes negatively. React positively, your life changes positively. Or even, choose not to react (!), accept things as it is, absorb the experience, and then release it. Be a passive observer. Learn from the experience, be grateful for it. Reflect within why you may be perturbed, question your own triggers and response. Resolve the trigger internally so you won't be perturbed by it again*. Your life changes positively in this case too.

Our expectations are a reflection of what we lack in ourselves. Be the master of your happiness, heal internally, and you will lose your expectations of others. Our suffering and pain is the result of the divide between our desires and reality. Only by bridging that gap can we reduce that suffering. And the way to do that, is to accept and embrace things as is. 

Acceptance and letting things go doesn't mean you lose hope. It only means you trust that things will happen in their own way in their own time. You do the best you can, accept your own flaws and perfections, while living in the moment.

* Triggers may stem from childhood wounds. You can heal them. It's never too late.
**Thanks to Kat for the enlightenment.
*** Now I know why I liked this song so much. The answer was there the entire time! 

Additional note: 
Your suffering is the result of an identification with a sense of 'self' and its entitlements, which contribute to expectations and hurt. When you lose your sense of 'self' and see yourself as part of a bigger picture, you will not be perturbed as much. You will be able to see and accept things as they come, without feeling that events/actions are targeted at you (at a personal level), and accept that people act on their own will and desires, and react according to their own level of woundedness. 

An article related to why we should avoid having expectations:
http://www.the-open-mind.com/manifest-desires-freely-by-having-no-expectations-2/#6RleobDESAecXwgT.99