Life goes on - Meditation for 5/1/14

Ships of the Sea Museum; Savannah GA

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“In three words I can sum up everything I have learned about life.  It goes on.”  - Robert Frost

“We can throw stones, complain about them, stumble over them, climb on them or build with them.” – William Ward

     When we have developed expectations that some person, place or thing in our life is permanent and it proves to be temporary we feel our foundation is crumbling.  We had convinced ourselves that our life was going to be a certain way, and when our illusions are dashed it can feel as though a portion of our identity has been wiped out.  It doesn’t matter that all such foundations are illusions to start with – to us it is real.  We are human, and we come to rely on things to help us make sense of our world. So how do we deal with unplanned circumstances that “throw us for a loop?” 

     There are all the clichés.  Expect the unexpected.  Life goes on.  Keep calm and carry on.  Pull yourself up by the bootstraps.  They go on and on.  But when we are in the middle of the forest we cannot see the trees.  And if the thing that failed to live up to our expectations was a core part of our life?  We may even start having thoughts of just calling it quits altogether.

     This is one of the places that a well-developed spiritual relationship fills a role that nothing else can.  We either have developed a relationship with the spirit or we have not.  If we have not, we ultimately become convinced either that life conspires against us and our well intentioned plans and designs or that everything that happens is by random chance.  However, if we have practiced following the spirit and observing the results of this path, we have developed a confident understanding that regardless of circumstances, a path will emerge that will bring us growth and opportunities to be of service.  And although facing a catastrophe may be necessary for us to begin following this path, it sure is easier if we have done the work when times were “good.”

Today, may I do the work.   

Have a great Thursday !!

David

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