focused on the center
of acceptance
Or struggle vs. acceptance, and how to know which one to adopt.
These days I lean towards simple, where less always feels like more,
and grace, where struggle always dresses in silence.
And I’m not sure it’s wisdom.
I fought life so hard when I was young,
these days I prefer to acquiesce to the nature of opposites.
The good with the bad, the light with the dark,
the tears with the laughter.
It’s not giving up, it’s honing in.
It’s not compliance so much as forgiveness.
It’s arms wide open to whatever comes.
Life rains down upon us and washes us clean.
Again and again and again.
We live in the dust and we live in the dirty.
And then comes the downpour and we live some more.
Soaked and sodden, a bit downtrodden.
Bending in the wind that did not break us,
the breeze that dries our hair,
the sun that warms the shadows on our skin.
.
.
.
July 16th, 2015 at 9:19 am
Struggle vs acceptance – that’s a tough one. But I love the way you’ve expressed your thoughts here. My mind strives for the acceptance as I’m too tired for the struggle and know from experience it just leads to frustration and feelings of failure rather than any kind of “win”. But it’s tough to break old habits. To allow things simply to roll over and around us and just be. But, oh, what a worthwhile “win” it would be to have that become our usual practice. And save the struggle for battling real injustices and suffering for others. Or maybe there is a better word than “struggle” and I’m sure if there is, you’ll write about it one of these days…
July 16th, 2015 at 11:06 am
“I lean towards simple, … and grace”
Absolutely the right way to do it.
So beautiful: “struggle always dresses in silence”
Love: “It’s not giving up, it’s honing in.”
And these:
“We live in the dust and we live in the dirty.”
“Bending in the wind that did not break us,
the breeze that dries our hair,
the sun that warms the shadows on our skin.”
I can’t wait to spend some time outside now. Unfortunately, I don’t think there will be a breeze to enjoy. I’m in the South. 🙂
July 16th, 2015 at 4:50 pm
It is not compliance so much as forgiveness. Amen. I have accepted a very zen philosophy, like the water through the rocks. What is important, what isnt. And then choosing to love regardless you know. Life is messy. We get dirty and then the rain washes us off, so we can get dirty again.
July 23rd, 2015 at 10:50 pm
what a thoughtful write… holding much wisdom in embrace true daily life