It’s easy to think that as we embark on a journey of chasing success, or peace of mind and heart, or wonderful, fulfilling relationships, that those moments of sunshine are going to last forever.
We get a glimpse of the fruits of our efforts and think, “Wow, this is beautiful! I knew it! I’ve arrived!”
As a well-known football commentator has been known to say, “Not so fast, my friend.”
It’s great to feel those exhilarating highs and to begin to peek behind the curtain of what we believe life can be like all the time, but the interesting reality of this lifetime is that, well … it’s not really designed to be that way.
Now please understand what I’m trying to impart here, from my experiences in thinking the same things!
In my journey, as with all our journey’s, I was searching for that ultimate nirvana, that tranquil state, that consistent and continued peace of mind and heart. Nothing can disturb me, nothing can move me, nothing can impede this perfection. Right?
Over time, at least for me, there was a shift. A shift in my perceptions, but also a shift in how I was experiencing my life. I began to come to terms with the answer to an intriguing question:
“What the heck would life be like if everything was perfect all the time?”
In my opinion, it would suck.
Why?
Because we wouldn’t experience the seasons. No summer, fall, winter or spring. We wouldn’t appreciate the rain, the wind, the clouds, the sun, the cold, the heat.
What would our definition of “perfect” mean if we didn’t experience its opposite?
The only answer is, there would be no “perfect” because there would be nothing to compare “perfect” against.
How can I know contentment if I haven’t known unrest?
How can I know peace if I have not known turmoil?
How can I appreciate silence if I haven’t experienced the noise?
How can I experience love if I haven’t known . . .
You get the idea.
We are not here to just feel great all the time. We must understand what it’s like to be angry, confused, dysfunctional, and anxious. Sometimes all of these seemingly at the same time.
I’ve had my share of difficulty, pain, shame, sadness, anxiety, and being broken.
Did I like it? No.
Did I want any part of these feelings? No.
Of course not.
Did I want them to go away almost as soon as they reared their ugly and uncomfortable heads? Yes, I did.
So, what do we do with this stuff?
As we move along the journey of growth and change, we begin to understand that all of these things are just a part of the path.
We begin to learn that not judging them as good or bad is important to keep us balanced and in a state of understanding, as opposed to upheaval.
We begin to learn that fighting what we feel, fighting life, and fighting ourselves is a path that only leads to . . . more fighting.
We begin to be accepting of the fact that to see the sun, there are times when we’ll have to look at and through the clouds. And that will be okay.
Comentarios