One can metaphorize the experiences and challenges of our lives as a long journey, segmented by beautiful paved paths, lush meadows, rolling hills and then too, raging rivers, torrent downfalls, rocky paths, swamps, steep mountains, the list goes on.
How do we then negotiate this ?
Sometimes it is easier said than done, but the reality that we perceive, feel and experience through these, is in truth, what we choose to make of it.
Below is metaphor I wrote about three years back about experiences at points in the life journey of me and my wife, collectively facing the odds. A confidant, a mentor at that time, my brother in law, described me at that point akin to a drowning rat in a cage.
In hindsight, the very string of events that pulled us down, we discovered, had brought out and developed our inner strength, resilience, foresight, faith. We also discovered characteristics in each other which we would not have done so otherwise.
We found that the path we had walked, now became an inspiration for others who had struggled similarly.
This is how I had summarized it at that time ;
“The value of Faith and Belief cannot be denied, as it has the power to garner resources and strength within oneself in the darkest of situations. In the case of the two partners in life, one can ask, if what guided them was of a divine nature or that of positive thinking or mental attitude ”
Each will take their own from it, I guess, and have varying views.
Life knocks us down for a reason. The challenge is how we then address it, do we let ourselves get dragged down or instead choose to discover the positive learnings within that may equip us for the next segment of that journey.
To what degree have your thoughts determined your reality?
What is that voice that speaks to us ? could it be our Higher Self, our Inner Guide, our Intuition, some supreme universal force ?
How much do we engage with it for guidance ?
Here it is …………..
The Swamp Metaphor
Two partners in life were in a state of despair and desperation, burden by the weight of the issues on hand and that which they now faced ahead of them. The situation they were caught in resembled somewhat being cold, hungry and lost in a dark misty swamp.
Every effort to find a way out of this swamp resulted in them getting more & more lost and getting bogged in mud. Time goes by and the sense of despair and desperation increases to the point of wanting to give up altogether.
Now at the very brink, from a certain direction, they hear this reassuring voice saying “don’t be afraid, take a step this way”. With fear, skepticism and disbelief, the voice is ignored and they continue yet deeper into the dark swamp.
Over time this voice keeps prompting them, saying “Hey, don’t be afraid, take a step this way”. They are still in fear but decide to have faith and take a reluctant step in the direction prompted by the voice. Now as they take a step forward in the dark misty swamp, something magical happens and a flat white stone appears underfoot. As they place their foot on this stone, a great sense of relief engulfs them.
Then this voice, becoming more assuring and comforting over time, booms out saying, “trust in me, take another step”. And as they place their trust in that voice and take one more step forward, another flat white stone appears underfoot.
Now, moving from a state of skepticism to confidence, they take a step onto this stone, and as they do, behold, another stone appears in from of them. Despite not being able to see ahead of them due to the pitch darkness, they take comfort and lead from the continuing stones that appeared before them.
They’ve now learnt to trust and believe more in this phenomenon of the voice and the stones. Overtime through trials in the dark swamp, their journey with the stones lead them out into the light and a clearing, where for the first in a long time, they feel and get sense of relief, purpose and direction.
The story goes on that, in the course of their lives, the two partners continued to experience more dark and dangerous swamps, but belief, faith and trust in this voice that lead them, always showed them they way out. Despite this, there were times when they had lost faith and went astray, but this voice stayed with them like a faithful friend, ready to guide them out again when they were ready to believe and listen.
