Aspects of Being
When to let go of someone - do we ever? It seems to me that when someone leaves us, or we leave them, they are however and indeed forever a part of us. Surely the trick is not to forget them, nor to dismiss their presence and influence in our lives, yet nor to wallow in the empty void for too long, whatever their part was. It is still present. Whether the time spent with them was short or long, whether it was in sharing moving experiences, Love, or even anger and pain, it is woven into the tapestry of who we are and will become. The trick is to get to know those threads within us and acknowledge that they are part of us...and that they are gifts in their own way. Leaving is a part of this Life, and surely the most painful. We naturally have trouble grasping the concept of "Forever", except in relationships where we insist on it. So it is that death, physical separation, and even growth, in fact any transition at all, often leaves us reeling. We readily welcome and embrace so many changes, yet when it comes to the notion of 'leaving' in one form or another, we stand steadfast in denial of its imminence. It's not that the havens of stability and security are to be shunned, but rather to know that they surely have a time and place that serve a most meaningful purpose, albeit not being an impenetrable fortress. It may be this notion of being 'under siege' that is often our undoing as it blind-sides us over and again. Furthermore and likewise, even when those who have caused us pain are left behind, it is inevitably an opportunity to learn about a much deeper part of ourselves; about what we were able to endure, how we coped, about the true strengths we possess, and lastly but not least important, how to appreciate and employ our "susceptibility" to that which can teach... The culture mentioned
in last week's piece on "Disillusionment"
struck such a deep chord in me, not seeming jaded in the least. Their outlook
didn't so much embrace succumbing to the challenges of this life, but rather
(wisely) acknowledged them. Call it a premonition of empathy in the tribulations
that make us One. As well, the aspect of their 'celebration' of release
upon death is something fundamental in most faiths, yet which each of us
must come to terms with in our own lives as we encounter it. It is said
that in order to live well, one must learn to die well. We are given countless
microcosmic opportunities to practice this, as much as we are born again
each morning when we awaken...
~ The mark of your
ignorance is the depth of your belief in injustice and tragedy. What the
caterpillar calls the end of the world, the master calls a butterfly. -
Richard Bach
Sea and Sky
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