What changes in your life do feel have been necessary to make, lately?
THE NEXT TO LAST GASP AGAINST THE SQUALL –
“Failure had be-
come our way of
life and self-esteem
was non-existent.” “When
nothing relieved our para-
noia and fear, we hit bot-
tom and became ready to
ask for help. We were
searching for an answer
when we reached out
… .” (The Basic Text,
p. 15)
“The greater
the difficulty the
more glory in sur-
mounting it. Skillful pi-
lots gain their repu-
tation from storms
and tempests.”
– Epicurus (341 BC – 270 BC) Greek philosopher
Change Gon’ Come – Sam Cooke (3:30)
Metamorphosis and Changes – an Enigma Meditation (9:33)
Change upon Change
By Elizabeth Barrett Browning
Five months ago the stream did flow,
The lilies bloomed within the sedge,
And we were lingering to and fro,
Where none will track thee in this snow,
Along the stream, beside the hedge.
Ah, Sweet, be free to love and go!
For if I do not hear thy foot,
The frozen river is as mute,
The flowers have dried down to the root:
And why, since these be changed since May,
Shouldst thou change less than they.
And slow, slow as the winter snow
The tears have drifted to mine eyes;
And my poor cheeks, five months ago
Set blushing at thy praises so,
Put paleness on for a disguise.
Ah, Sweet, be free to praise and go!
For if my face is turned too pale,
It was thine oath that first did fail, —
It was thy love proved false and frail, —
And why, since these be changed enow,
Should I change less than thou.
A crucible must be able to withstand temperatures higher than the metals that are being melted within it. We are crucibles for the troubles we encounter – able to withstand that which we contain – able to walk through to the other side – and emerge stronger for it.
It may be that “failure” is a perception – even a choice – of how I view outcomes. Even so, in the moment it is still hard for me when the results are not what I envisioned or wanted. I still have to go back to Steps 1-2-3 over and over again.
I love the Epicurus quote – it lets me know all the trouble in life is not for nothing, it has a useful purpose.
A friend and I were discussing this quote and we decided that, we are not really spiritually growing if we don’t experience, from time to time, some major bumps in the road.