Jaded

      Many centuries ago, a jade stone was thought to be a cure for colic when placed on a baby's stomach.  Jade was also a label for a worn-out mare or woman, often ill-tempered.  We think of jade as an ornamental stone or even a name for boys and girls.  Depending on how you look at it, this word can refer to indigestion, exhaustion, or beauty.  Today, being jaded has a different connotation.
     After being overexposed to certain ideas and manipulations, a person can get burned out and disillusioned.  Once illusions are shattered, new opinions can arise and truth can refresh the mind.  New opinions may not be as comforting and calming as former ideas, but perhaps our security blankets need to be pulled away so that we can adjust to reality.
     Dorothy placed all her hopes in the Wizard of Oz until she found the truth behind the screen.  Then, she realized she had the ability to solve her own problems and find her way in life.  When we get beyond childhood, we can form grownup thoughts.    
     Often people think being jaded is negative and pessimistic, an unhealthy state of mind that blocks out appreciation for the sunny side.  A person can get sick and tired of platitudes and illogical thinking and yearn for the beauty of truth.  Being jaded may just be a step toward shedding illusions and going forward to living in reality.