"There is nothing in the whole world which abides. All things are in a state of ebb and flow, and every shadow passes away. Even time itself, like a river, is constantly gliding away." ~Ovid
Chances are pretty good that we will all be wronged at some point in our lives. Some ill fate will befall us. Some undeserved misfortune will blow our way. We may lose a pet or a friend, we may get in a car accident, we may get robbed, we may get taken advantage of, we may become sick or injured. We will have done nothing to deserve what has happened, but that won't make us feel any better. We will wish that things had gone differently. We will look for something, or someone, to blame. Even worse, we may have grown up disadvantaged, our parents may have neglected or abused us, we may think the world is out to get us. These kinds of wounds are far harder to heal.
When facing 'the slings and arrows of outrageous fortune' we must first decide whether life is happening to us, or whether it is happening for us. Without a voluntarily movement toward the second perspective, the narrative will remain chaotic and the hero lost. By accepting that the tragedies in our lives are actually blessings in disguise, we begin the process of transformation. After all, these obstacles (and subsequent struggles and triumphs) are what define a life well lived.
The notion of abiding is seen throughout the Bible, most commonly in reference to Christ. Interestingly, the Roman poet Ovid (whose quote began this post) lived at the same time as Jesus. The two take diametrically opposite stances on time and eternity. To Christ, the Kingdom of Heaven is permanent and the end to suffering lies in abiding in God. To Ovid, everything is ephemeral and slipping away, and nothing ever abides. Which is correct? The answer--they both are.
The present moment is indeed a fleeting notion, but it is also the only thing that is real. We are all getting closer and closer to our deaths, but we are also getting closer and closer to our revelations. Each moment contains in it the seeds for enlightenment, at least to the degree that such a thing is possible. When we abide in the moment, with faith that it is exactly where we were meant to be, then the window for possibility opens. It is never too late to realize that it is never too late.
What you are doing (what we are all doing) right now is nothing short of a miracle. Life as we know it should not exist, yet it does. Consciousness is the most absurd entity in the whole universe, yet here it is. Whether or not you believe in a Creator, your life is undeniable proof of something extraordinary. The things that befall us--both good and bad, both deserved and undeserved--are also here on purpose. We have the choice to accept the life that is set before us. To live each moment with intention and kindness, and admit the vulnerability of knowing that we will fall short again and again. Our best selves emerge not as a consequence of accomplishing great things, but taking responsibility for the things that we pursue. By abiding in the work that we alone were made to do.
The next time you feel yourself rushing to get through something that you don't enjoy,
The next time you find yourself mindlessly doing a task so you can move on to the next one,
The next time you wish for some different fate,
The next time you are stuck in the past or the future,
Challenge yourself to be present,
To stay long enough to truly experience what is going on.
Abide in it, and then let it go.
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