Don’t let the storms that come, cloud your face so
easily. Many pass by, coming close, but
missing us. We cannot be worn down by
these, as we need to conserve our energies for those blighters that hit us
right between the eyes, force 9. These
monsters take us off our feet and the fallout/recovery in our lives can be
months if not years. None of us, thank
God, know our future. The fact that it
is hidden is a real blessing. I
personally feel had I known what lay ahead even in 6th grade it would
have been a killer blow. It’s not that
my life has been a horror story (though at times!) its just, I am sure I am not
the only one thinking, I barely got through that. Imagine trying to cope with it knowing it all lay ahead in all
its gruesome details. Even a moderately
unhappy school year would be unbearable.
But you need no lecture on dealing with tough days. These past few years have been filled with
all sorts of pain, akin to medieval torture but without the release of a swift
execution. I would not have had you go
through any of this. There are no
lessons learned that can compensate me for seeing you suffer. Reduced to being a spectator, as a loved one
suffers, is horrid. The powerlessness
heightens anguish. For some reason this
line from Tolkien’s, The Lord of the Rings soothes slightly and helps provide
the longer view.
“It is not our part to master all the tides of the
world, but to do what is in us for the succour of those years wherein we are
set, uprooting the evil in the fields that we know, so that those who live
after may have clean earth to till. What weather they shall have is not ours to
rule.”
I am curious to know if everyone over fifty has
come to the same conclusions as I have.
I share mine with you in case they are of use.
1. People
will disappoint and surprise you.
Despite how carefully you arrange your defences, they will get through
and hit you hardest. Economically it
can sting, physically it can leave scars but it is emotionally that you carry
the real lasting wounds.
2. The
very moments of life you feel your happiest, your proudest, your greatest sense
of achievement are invariably the days of distance from God. Perversely, it is in our darkest hours that
we painfully turn and open our hearts to the light. Watch out for those veils between your own heart and the life
giving sun.
3. You
will do small deeds that will influence other’s lives in positive ways that you
will never know. These little gems make
your very existence worthwhile. Don’t
bother to try and figure them out, record or publicise them. Their beauty lies in the unconscious good
that has spilled over into the lives of others. You may not even be aware of them but you should certainly prime
the pump that fuels their emergence.
Doing good should be our automatic mode while doing harm should be like
screeching gears into reverse putting your teeth on edge.
4. You
are destined for great things – all of us are.
The only way we fail to achieve them is because lethargy, missed
opportunities, distractedness or addiction has stolen our true destiny.
5. Love
is not a limited commodity that you parcel out like a plate of sandwiches. It is fed from an unseen aqueduct and in
order to tap into it we need only use what we’ve been given. Keep it fresh and free flowing. Meanness of heart causes stagnation and
smells up not just your life but also those around you.
6. Don’t
be afraid of mistakes. Fear instead the
inaction that robs you of growth.
7. Being
bombarded with entertainment, materialism or addictions is a constant peril. Flee it as you would the Embola virus. It kills possibilities so quickly and
infects all within its radius so completely you don’t even realise it has you.
8. Get
busy with people, projects, crafts, art, service and allow creativity to keep
you afloat in this mire of a world.
9. People
will come and go in your life. Some
that you don’t even deserve to be in their shadow. Be infinitely grateful for the glow they bring, the happiness
they create and the fragrance that remains even after they have gone.
Sending this, for what
its worth, with much love
