Maureen, I love this post. It's true that life has both good and bad occurrences. In my family, the bad stuff that happened to people wasn't spoken about. I wound up thinking life was ideal. Also a good student, I felt if I studied hard and worked hard, I would get a metaphorical A, or reward, in life. Not so. Nothing prepared me for a failed marriage and cancer. While I live a content life now, I now know that the School of Life involves bad and good.
Thanks so much for sharing - yes it’s so seductive to think we can “get straight As” in life - there is also the parable of the man with the horses - lmk if you know that one - good reminder that even what we think is bad might be good and what we think is good might be bad.
More life = more pain, but the alternative is an empty life.
So maybe the trick is to figure out how to become compatible with the pain and celebrate it as a sign of a life well-lived.
Every painful event earns you another A in life. Not easy, but well-earned.
Yes I love the line about arriving at the end of my life bloody, battered and with skinned knees but having LIVED!
Maureen, I love this post. It's true that life has both good and bad occurrences. In my family, the bad stuff that happened to people wasn't spoken about. I wound up thinking life was ideal. Also a good student, I felt if I studied hard and worked hard, I would get a metaphorical A, or reward, in life. Not so. Nothing prepared me for a failed marriage and cancer. While I live a content life now, I now know that the School of Life involves bad and good.
Thanks so much for sharing - yes it’s so seductive to think we can “get straight As” in life - there is also the parable of the man with the horses - lmk if you know that one - good reminder that even what we think is bad might be good and what we think is good might be bad.
I don't know the parable of the man with the horses. It is true that things that seem bad can turn out to be good and vice-versa.
https://www.thekinnardhomestead.com/the-parable-of-the-chinese-farmer/