What or whom should one believe? We are surrounded by libraries full of the printed page expressing thoughts of new age, past philosophies, stoics, doom slayers and the list can go on and on. We live in a world of transient thoughts and books of what is good today. However it may not be good tomorrow. Take so much of one vitamin or heavy doses of fiber and you will be fine. Just about the time I have a routine of what is good it changes. No not that vitamin it should be this vitamin. The same with coffee, butter, eggs, chants or excerise, it is in constant change. Which leaves one with despair, in darkness and confused. With this our rainbow of light, our happiness grows dim.
Like myself, when faced with chronic pain and a progressive disease with no cure, what eases the mind and the soul? What transient thoughts or action will pull me/us out of this dark visage of sorrow? I can only tell you what has helped me.
I try to look at the small thing of life. For an example, this morning I heard the little wren sing with gusto. I wonder how can that little bird sing so loudly. I saw the first vulture soaring in our neighbor. Okay that might seem a little odd, but the vultures gone for winter return in early spring. A few weeks back, the small snow drops pop out of the ground showing off their nodding heads, the light purple crocus are out and along with the yellow aconites. These three flowers are small in structure but how they soar our hearts. They provide a small rainbow which brightens our soul.
There are times when our condition seems incurable and eloquently spoken words mean so little. But the song of the small wren brightens our morning. We so often fear the shadow, this dark spot. For me this shadow means there is light. Light that makes us smile. We seek the giants of life when it is the little things that provide the rainbow. It takes only a drop for the colors to show themselves. It is not the rope that holds us together. It is the small thread that binds. And when the thread that binds is stretch this thread is felt from one end to the other. If we find peace and comfort with ourselves we have no need to look further. I once read that a drop of water, which is lower than all things, yet stronger even than the rocks. Confucius stated "ignorance is the night of the mind, but a night without moon of star."
With a wink and a nod-HeWal