Mastering the Wilderness … ( 04 / 11 / 2014 )
Mastering the Wilderness … ( 04 / 11 / 2014 )
" He paused long enough to hear the question behind the question and took a slow sip of his coffee … ‘ If I could tell you for sure there wouldn ' t be any bears , it wouldn ' t be a wilderness now would it ?'" ~ Charlie Slocum
Our lives are filled with journeys to the edge of the Wilderness -- those times when we lose something cherished or long for more ; those times when we are attacked or abused or betrayed ; those times when we wince or ache or cringe . And most of the time when our “ Wilderness ” comes calling , we head the other way as fast as possible – head back post haste to all things comfortable & safe & warm & friendly .
And yet no matter how far we run and no matter how well we hide , the Wilderness always returns -- It always finds us ; approaching silently from behind , either to tap us on the shoulder or to slap us in the face -- often in moments least expected ; always in moments least desired .
Of course , it can be quite liberating to realize that it is not necessary to run from our Wilderness at all ; to remember that it is actually deep within our Wilderness where our greatest of all Treasures resides ; that without challenge , there would be only the suffocating malaise of endless ease ... that without difficulty , there would only be the droning buzz of a never-ending series of meaningless " successes " ... that without pain , there would only be the exhausting lull between life ' s brief glimpses of pleasures hollow & unsustainable .
Now I am not advocating that you seek out challenge or difficulty or pain ... Indeed , the Wilderness is not something that can be sought , much less found . For , if the Wilderness is to be our Wilderness , it must do the seeking ... It must find us … And yet the point is this : that when the dis-ease of our Wilderness does arrive ( and arrive it will ), we need not fight it or strive against it or complain about it . Yes , as thinking , knowing , conscious beings , we can choose to rail against pain and usher it out the door , and yet we can also choose to harness its awesome power instead ... We can choose to reap its hidden gifts -- by setting aside our selffocused fears long enough to reach out courageously through our pain and extend the helping hand of Kindness to another .
And this is the true power of our ability to choose ... This is the true power of our selfless Self ... This is the true power waiting calmly within our every Wilderness .
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