Strength

Yesterday was a strength building day for me. Have you noticed that everything seems to converge at once when you are ill prepared? I had a headache brought on by insufficient water intake the day before. This had the effect of heightening my sensitivity to everything that was happening and it made difficult situations that much more difficult. By the evening time and aided with the warmth of a compassionate conversation with a friend, the heaviness dissipated. As the sun was setting my vision cleared. On reflection, I notice that I took the time to nurture my emerging emotional intelligence by eliminating those addictive negative thoughts and drinking in positivity. This is a new practice for and I find that the more I take time to do it the better I am at living in the present moment. At the root of this, is an understanding that suffering, tests, difficulties, trials and tribulations, are a necessary part of life. It is fruitless for me to resist them. They have an important purpose: to transform. It is easy for me to say I want to change but when my actions and thoughts do not align with this desire, I find I struggle and moving through the simplest things is hard. Instead, if I truly understand that I am cultivating strength, refining my character, I loosen my grip on my resistance to change and let it wash over me. This quotation from Helen Keller says it best:

"Character cannot be developed through ease and quiet. Only though experience of trial and suffering can the soul be strengthened, vision cleared, ambition inspired, and success achieved."