Nearly everyone has seen a coin toss. Many have tossed a coin. The landing is significant here. By a bit of simple inertia imparted onto it, the coin slips through the air, flipping over and over, then finally landing on a surface to reveal only one side. Is this random? Just chance alone? In the sphere of happenstance, the coin is like the human experience.
Are we all like the coin; stamped, beveled, polished, flipped then spent? We surely can be if we desire. But most desire it not. No matter, the coin is solid and human. The coin is the working of polarity. One side is opposite the other, and starkly different; much like the persona. Only we must see the fabric that binds the sides together; we must witness the essence of spirit.
I knew a man once who was admiringly friendly. A friend to all; he could do no wrong. No matter your personality, quirks or disposition, he was always agreeable. Though one day this man and I had a talk. He admitted that he only agreed with everyone out of fear. He feared disagreement with others. He did not want to be disliked or indifferent to anyone. In being insecure, he bowed to others, never truly revealing himself.
This man taught me a valuable lesson. As many people say that there are two sides to every coin, there is also a third side. This is the side that we always miss, never witnessing its truth. In flipping the coin we only think of one side or the other, but we never think of the coin’s motion. As it flips, it shows its third side; it shows wholeness.
What you see on the surface is illusion. The coin may have two sides, but in motion it has more. It is multi-dimensional. Our lives are not random happenstance. Some say it is ordered chaos; a chaos pattern; paradox. But only the coin knows its landing, and only the landing knows both sides of the coin.
Through the sphere of happenstance we travel often, though this is illusion, many make it worse. We choose the sides of our own coin, whether we admit it or not. If one wishes to please everyone, he also chooses to please himself, but he does not live for himself. He lives for others; just as random as the coin toss. He fails to spin on a surface where he can reveal both sides and the metal that binds him; he fails to reveal the soul.
Be true to yourself in all that you do. Fear no other man. As the coin flips, so does life; always changing, shifting and landing on a page of choice. Spin the coin, see all sides oscillating in unison.
HeartSphere 
Great post, and timely to boot. Lately I’ve bee hyper sensitive of those around me, tiptoeing in the thin ice covering the shallow lake of decorum not in a effort to be better understood but to negate whatever brusqueness might accompany the utterance of my own truths. And in doing so, being untrue to myself. Thanks for the wake up call. I needed that.
My pleasure! Take care 😉
Such an insightful reflection! I’ve found peace on the perimeter or edge of said coin~ like when u balance a coin and then flick it! Either way I lands, it gives me full perception of the other side;)
😉
well said, and such a telling metaphor for our lives!
Such a difficult balance to find…working on it … Thanks for the reminder!
I really enjoyed reading this. I will look at coins and people differently from now on! Interesting on the man being friendly to everyone out of fear of others not liking him. So he really couldn’t be his true self. Sometimes I think lots of us have to hide our true selves in certain circumstances such as with authority type figures or the higher ups, but I think in general, the more you can be the real you and show all the sides of you, the better. Of course we all love the brighter sides of people, don’t we? Lately I have been thinking about giving people a break more when they act out with certain emotions that are unpleasant as I have had those same emotions, too. Taking a balanced look at ourselves can help us see others in a more balanced way, too. Just as we ought to not get too upset at ourselves when we are inpatient or angry, we don’t have to puff ourselves up too much for when we are patient and calm. Because of course we are multifaceted people and can always change in a split second to one of many moods, just like the many dimensions of a coin. Now I am going to be thinking more on this for a bit. Thanks for the insights. Keep taking good care. Sincerely, Connie Webb
Thank you! I will keep them coming as they come to me! 😉
I was at a loss for words with this one at first! I sat for a bit just letting it settle in, so Brilliant! Clarity, freedom and the confidence to explore every aspect of ourselves comes when we choose to live fully from within our heart space. I choose consciously to see all sides everyday and I hope to nudge others to do the same, as you do so brilliantly here with your words 🙂
♥♥
Thank you! I was inspired by a movie to write this post, just kinda came out of nowhere last night. But thats how it happens I suppose.. 😉
I know what you mean, I love when that happens. Something inspires us and It builds up so quickly and then the words pour out and it’s such a release, so much so that you know it was meant to be written. Thank you so much for sharing, as always 🙂 ♥ ♥
It is my pleasure! 😉
My friends call this “living in the both/and”. LOVE.
Wow, amazing post! It’s so true. I wasn’t able to put this lesson so poetically, but here was my stab at it: http://onlychildprincesses.wordpress.com/2012/04/03/rsonal-they-call-me-crazy/ and I guess another attempt: http://onlychildprincesses.wordpress.com/2012/04/04/810/ Two alternative ways of “Be true to yourself.”
Thank you! and great posts as well! 🙂
I’ve got friends who are eager to please as well. I’m also a person who spends far too much time worrying about what other people think of me. My counsellor told me recently that ‘not everyone likes you – and that’s ok’.
Even typing the words still feels a little odd, but it shifted my thinking, and I wrote about it:
http://bipolarbear.co.nz/2012/04/12/not-everyone-likes-you-and-thats-ok/
You’re counselor is very wise. Great post btw!
Very interesting! I always thought a coin has three sides; the side that is neither heads or tails. But it is almost impossible that a coin would land on its third side and that is why we never talk about it
Great post my friend! Thanks a lot for sharing and fostering logical reasoning and positive thinking.
Thank you!
I could not have read this at a better time in my life — don’t you just love serendipity? I have never heard the metaphor of the coin and the happiness; this is a clear, concise image to use when the search for happiness, and for the soul. You continue to floor me with the strength and certainty of your philosophy. To me, and please forgive me if this is offensive, you are a kid — I still don’t have this thing figured out, and I’m twice your age. Thanks for a lovely post.
Ha! I doubt you’re in your 70’s..and I’m far from being a kid. I’ve experienced a lot in just 35 short years but I’m far from figuring anything out. Thank you!
Thought provoking as usual…~mkg
Marvelously inspiring post! Thank you so very much!
I dig the “multi-faceted” part of the analogy, and think it to be the strongest part of the example. It can be very easy to break life down into dichotomies like “good or evil” “right or wrong” “for us or against us” and so on, but the wholeness of the human experience is far more complex than that.
Good stuff!
Indeed, very true. and thank you sir!
This is simply beautiful. Having been a writing major myself, I am quite frankly in love with your writing style. Seriously, beautiful piece of writing. In addition, I love the topic you’ve chosen to discuss because I think it truly is a valuable lesson to all. Very, very, very well done!! I will be sharing this with many people =).
Thank you very much! That was a wonderful and humbling compliment.. and thank you for sharing as well 😉
People tend to show a persona to the world, the face that they think people would like to see. I think we all do this to a degree.
And like many. I guess I missed out on the third side too. Beautifully captured in words. 🙂
Reblogged this on The World I Live In.
I liked your approach of the third side – Infinite possibilities when the coin is in the air 🙂
A penny for your thoughts? Don’t bother…already have a ‘reminded’ insight of the third side. There are no coincidences…only realized opportunities. Thanks for stretching my penny jar. I’m richer. Dan
Oh I like this.
The side on which things spin. Love your post. Very profound.
Great reflection here and something to teach our children early in life. Thanks 🙂
Truly deep, thought provoking, and raw write here knowthesphere. We all have different sides to us, different personas. At times, we are afraid to show our true selves to others, so we choose to show them a different side us. Also, an inspirational write my friend. 🙂
I have to put your blog on my blogroll immediately!
i am so glad to have connected with your blog!! you have amazing insight and such detailed precision in capturing these subtle nuances in human life. truly insightful reading!! thanks!
Thank you! Best wishes 🙂
Great post, and such an interesting thought! 🙂
Hi Jeremiah. Thank you for this inspirational article. When you have a free moment, please go to http://essaykaywrites.wordpress.com/2012/05/06/ive-been-tagged-a-spider-web-game/) to see a post in which you have been featured. I hope it brings you joy, and feel free to pass that joy around.
Beautifully expressed ! I love it :))
It is only in the spinning motion of living our lives with vigor and joy and love and compassion that we can be “whole”.
very astute – enjoyed this immensely – makes you think
Thank you! Glad you liked it 🙂