Welcome to another Fresh Start Mondays… where we change the narrative. Today we will be taking a closer look at the concept of life. I was made aware that quite a few persons are of the impression that living on purpose equates to having a plan for everything and all goes according to such plan. They are of the opinion that we will know and understand every detail. So, they have trouble with the disconnect between their concept of purpose and their realities. Since, we have looked at purpose before, let us now take a closer look at life. I hope that these thoughts will bring some clarity.
Life can be thought of as the quality that separates a vital and functional being from a dead body. Life is not a thing, it can’t be touched, it is a quality that can be only be experienced. It is the substance of our existence; the bible calls it “the breath of life”. And it happens, it occurs or it takes place… these are all verbs, they are all doing words. Life cannot be stagnant; it doesn’t operate in a static phase. It is ever changing and dynamic. That’s just how it is.
Many of us have gotten caught up in the illusion of perfection, perfection doesn’t exist in real life. It is a state many aspire to without realizing it really doesn’t exist. We dream of the perfect job, families, homes, groups, churches, organisations, countries, relationships, etc. and the list could go on. But it does not exist! Even with the best of intentions, we sometimes make wrong moves. That’s just how it is.
“If life were predictable it would cease to be life, and be without flavour.” – Eleanor Roosevelt
The same life that makes us happy this minute can make us sad the next… blesses us with good fortune, then everything goes wrong… gives us great health, then we are bed ridden from sickness… builds us up, then just burst our bubble. Life gives us good, bad and indifferent. That’s just how it is.
Think of a potter at his wheel as he makes a ceramic bowl from clay, he uses his hand to mould the clay into shape and his foot controls the speed to which the wheel spins. Many times, the clay gets marred in the hand of the potter, it’s not the fault of the clay nor the potter. It just happens, that’s just how it is.
Likewise, many of us rock our brains trying to figure out why every detail of our life happened the way it did. Why our lives don’t reflect the perfection we desire? Why couldn’t we have the support others do? Why couldn’t we be born in better families? Why couldn’t we have more resources? And the questions can continue. But it is important that we accept the fact that life happens and we will not know or understand everything. That’s just how it is.
“Things work out best for those who make the best of how things work out.” – John Wooden
When we accept the reality that life happens, with or without our consent and that perfection is an illusion, we will experience the good, bad and indifferent. That bad things don’t mean anyone is at fault, that we will not know or understand everything. It frees us to truly appreciate life and all it offers. And that’s just how it is.
May we embrace life in its fullness, despite the fact that life happens and change our narrative…
Life has a tendency to hit you like a tonne of bricks, so you can plan ahead, but that plan does not always fall through.
Indeed, it therefore proves beneficial to accept life for what it is and make the best of it!