Recently my days, including the Thursday Year of Inquiry group since that’s our topic for the month now, have been full of one after the other profound inquiries on some of the radical situations we go through in life: death, loss, whole communities suffering in civil unrest, poverty.
Sudden change occurs in life; someone gone unexpectedly, a whole country in revolution, a beloved pet killed, an apartment building burned to the ground, a family dying in a car wreck.
Upon reflecting on the amazing people who appear for inquiry in my life and their stories, I had the interesting thought:
It’s better if you know it’s going to happen, it’s better if you’re prepared.
Huh, I said to myself. That seems pretty true.
There are seminars on preparedness!
Like for wilderness survival, earthquakes, taking tests, interviews, retirement, giving birth, attending college.
The tricky part….and funny how the mind can FIND this to be tricky….is when you believe it’s better to be prepared for something you can’t actually prepare for.
Like “sudden” change, death, loss, social uprising, revolution, suffering, a diagnosis.
But I can feel the part of the mind that really believes in endless preparation. The one that thinks 3 degrees maybe aren’t quite enough, and more classes are needed, and if you just knew what to expect, it would be easier.
It’s kind stressy.
So who would you be without the belief that it’s better to be prepared for things that happen?
Without the belief that you could be MORE prepared than you are?
“But God can only smile because only God can know what is coming next.” ~ Desmond Tutu
Turning the thoughts around, I find most astonishing: It’s better to be right where I am, unprepared. It’s better not knowing when I don’t know.
Doesn’t that feel more exciting, more tender, more loving and kind?
So many things that I was spared from knowing, until later when I knew them.
So good I didn’t know, so good I still don’t know, right?
Some things are saved for later, for their perfect timing. Maybe the best is saved for last….death.
Maybe it isn’t “last”, just like everything else. And it’s obviously not necessary to know what’s next.
“You move totally away from reality when you believe there is a legitimate reason to suffer.” ~ Byron Katie
Truly incredible.
Much love, Grace
P.S. One camp spot open at Breitenbush in the beautiful glorious summer weather. We can squeeze you in if you can make it. June 25-29. Join us!