Lessons from a Hurricane (12)

The Way of Life

A few weeks ago a friend described to me her journey on the Camino, a pilgrimage of up to 800km in Spain. She described going over continuous hills and valleys. Each hill she climbed produced another valley to descend into and another hill to climb. As she spoke, I joined her in the realization that so often in life we yearn for quiet and calm. How often we said, or thought, or lived within the consciousness of: I’ll just get through ‘this’ and then everything will settle and be fine. The reality is that there are always hills and valleys. ALWAYS. That simply is what life is like.

The hurricane that blew through my world last fall was substantial and set me about some significant inner work, but the reality is that the winds keep blowing. My journey is to learn to accept the turbulence as simply what life is all about. There are joys and sorrows, struggles and rest, losses and new life, agreements and disagreements. They just keep coming.

I also learn to navigate through whatever hill or valley I’m presently in so that no matter where I am, my soul is cared for and I’m caring for the other souls with me.

Can I be equally alive, aware and attentive in both hills and valleys?

\What will today bring for you? A hill, a valley, a descent, an ascent? May you be aware each step you take, that you’re not alone.

Love and prayers

Anne

Contemplative Fire Community Leader Canada