Reflecting over times of mayhem,
where our spirits are momentarily deathly low, we may have feared that we might
break, dissolve or wither. We may have feared we would be broken beyond repair,
or that we would vanish without anyone caring, or that we would simply wither
in the midst of an onslaught.
Such images are frightening.
They take us from the present
scariness to an altogether scarier place. This is when a daydream, like in
dream sleep, takes over from reality and embellishes, cruelly, the situational
landscape.
Fears are multiplied and we feel
under attack.
When we feel these ways, totally
at the mercy of our negative feelings, which combine with negative thoughts,
and at the same time producing a downward spiral, we are introduced to panic.
It takes a wise mind to bear the
burden and to navigate safely a better passage.
Any of us, however, and at any
time, can utilise that part of our minds which is wise in this way.
Utilising Situation Wisdom
Wisdom chamfers the sharp edges
off otherwise stressful situations. It looks for, and allows passage into,
opportune moments of rest.
When we feel like we are at
breaking point our conscious wisdom is advising extreme caution. Are we to
listen? Will we take the symptoms as signs of a deeper cause? Will we attend to
the concerns that threaten to bring us into a state of destruction?
Situational wisdom dictates we
will do things we need to do.
When we feel like we are about to
dissolve—our contributions flailing, unnecessary, surplus to requirements—and
we feel we are becoming nothing, our conscious wisdom is causing us to
re-evaluate; to give cause to reinvent. Perhaps we need rest; perhaps we don’t.
But dissolving is never a nice feeling. Now, ours is the opportunity to respond.
Situational wisdom dictates we
will do things we need to do.
When we are withering from one or
more of many varieties of fatigue, our situational wisdom is directing us to
rest. As we come to the table of life, what strength is ours and what is God’s?
Have we kept in mind the need to rest?
We Are Stronger Than We Think
I recall as a young man pushing my
body physically. The more I pushed physically the more I could endure. And
whilst my body ages gracefully, and the wisdom of the years advises not to push
so hard, it’s a great metaphor for life.
We can get far more out of
ourselves than we think. But that is part of our problem. We push ourselves to
hard. But, just as much, we can endure destruction, dissolution, and fatigue.
Rest is needed, and, so too, these
are opportunities for learning.
***
At breaking point, or in
dissolving, or in withering, we are reminded of the need for rest. The way we
feel right now is not the end, just an important part of a fresh beginning.
Taking stock of what our minds, bodies and souls are telling us is very
important to do.
© 2012 S. J. Wickham.
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