HOW TO ENJOY LIFE'S LESSONS...PAINFUL OR NOT
Article by Cinthia Singleton
Photo Credit: Rose Jane
Magazine: Issue #22
Enjoy Life's Lessons
{A foreign object finds a nice soft nook in the oyster’s body. It lodges itself in that place… deep in there to ensure it can’t be expelled. Ouch. That hurts. And so the oyster secretes a special substance that will assuage the irritation one thin layer at a time, layer upon layer, till the irritant is completely encased by a silky, luminous coating.}
Look! It’s a pearl! - We humans experience our best lessons much like the oyster. To paraphrase poet Aberjhani, we “howl diamonds and pearls at the edge of madness.” lol
A little irritant + Some discomfort + Maybe a lot of [ anger/sadness/fear/pain ] = Feeling awful.
No better motivator for solid change than that, eh, and let’s face it, learning from a place of comfort and joy is, sadly, not as frequent in this life. So how do we accept this as part of life, even make it a more a JOY-ful one?
1| Live in the moment. Most lessons aren’t normally recognized while we live them out, and they come in all forms. Problem is they often remain unrecognized till they are well behind us in a place call The Past. Since we already spend so much time and energy there - as well as in the future wishing for specific outcomes - why not slow down and breath… in the present moment?
2| Be self-aware. A little mindfulness goes a long way. See the fork in the road, the decision to be made and the resistance in doing so? Don’t react right away; just acknowledge it. By the same token, don’t slip in an old, habitual way of reacting. Instead ask the higher powers for a sign.
3| Be forgiving. You’re human and part of being being one is experiencing life in all the ways meant for us. So feel those emotions and thank the pain if it’s there for being that ’fast track’ schooling you need to get to the core of things and GROW.
4| Try a little more of #2. If you need and ask for help if you need it even if just an ear to bend. As sentient, aware beings, we’re here to help one another. One day you’ll get to do same. Surround yourself by those you admire, respect, those who don’t fear diving deep for pearls too.
Ultimately, another pearl is born for your strand. You watch. You’ll become a better YOU adorned in beautiful pearls, ropes and ropes of them.
Without pain, there would be no suffering. Without suffering we would never learn from our mistakes. To make it right, pain and suffering is the key to all windows; without it, there is no way of life. -Angelina Jolie