Courage to encourage … ( 03 / 28 / 2012 )
Courage to encourage … ( 03 / 28 / 2012 )
“ I have not failed . I ’ ve simply found 10,000 ways that won ’ t work .” ~ Thomas Edison
We ’ ve seemingly tried everything to fix our world — to make our lives Meaning-full . We ’ ve been politically active , religiously zealous and exuberantly … healthy . We ’ ve put up “ healthy boundaries ” and engaged dozens of “ self-help ” practices . We ’ ve prayed and meditated and visualized … and yet still we find ourselves sinking back into pain and confusion … still we find ourselves yearning for real Happiness .
Well , here ’ s some news : Life is going to break you . That ’ s what it does . Nothing can protect you from that — not being loved by the “ perfect partner ” … not possessing material wealth … not having a beautiful body … not knowing “ inner peace ”. Even choosing to live completely alone will not protect us , as we are programmed to share life , and as such solitude will end up breaking us in its own way as well .
No , eventually you are going to have to realize that there is only one Way to know real Meaning — that there is only one Way to know profound Peace — that there is only one Way to know true Joy … You are going to have to Love … You are going to have to revel with others when they win and feel for them when they hurt … You are going to have to reach out into your community and Care . And ultimately , you will realize that this is the reason you are here . You are here to risk your safety by opening your Heart . You are here to be swallowed up in something greater than yourself … And when you finally comprehend this Truth and it thereafter happens that you become broken once again — betrayed , or left , or hurt , or death brushes near — you will choose a different path …
Instead of wallowing in your sorrow and wishing that things were better , instead of merely sitting by an apple tree and listening to the apples fall all around you , wasting their sweetness , at that time ( maybe today ), you are going to get up and go help the children .
( inspired by Louise Erdrich )
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