Differentiating

I'm reading a book written by a Buddhist monk. The book talks about how to solve all human problems. If a 200-page book can give me the answers, why wouldn't I read it?! The book explains that a lot of our problems are created in our head and once we get our mind under control we will be able to differentiate between what really is a problem and what we think is a problem. This means we will be able to tell the difference between animate and inanimate problems. For instance, let's say you have a leaky roof. You are most likely to think, "I have a problem, my roof is leaking." The roof is actually the one with the problem, you just have to decide whether or not you will live with the leak, try to fix it yourself or enlist the service of a professional to fix it. With a clear and calm mind, next time there is a leak in the room you're likely to say, "The roof is having a problem, it's leaking." I found this interesting and immediately comforting. It's almost as though I can let myself off the hook! The same lesson can be applied to the people in your life. I'm not having a problem with so-and-so because they won't listen to what I'm saying. They have the problem...they're the ones that are not listening for some reason. If they choose to ignore me, then they could miss out on something important. I did my best to tell them and that's all I can do. I'm experimenting with this outlook today and I have to admit, I feel much better about things. No more spending energy that doesn't need to be spent. This is like a holiday gift to myself! :)