Life is glorious, but life is also wretched ~ Pema Chödrön
Life is glorious, but life is also wretched. It is both. Appreciating the gloriousness inspires us, encourages us, cheers us up, gives us a bigger perspective, energizes us. We feel connected. But if that’s all that’s happening, we get arrogant and start to look down on others, and there is a sense of making ourselves a big deal and being really serious about it, wanting it to be like that forever. The gloriousness becomes tinged by craving and addiction.
On the other hand, wretchedness–life’s painful aspect–softens us up considerably. Knowing pain is a very important ingredient of being there for another person. When you are feeling a lot of grief, you can look right into somebody’s eyes because you feel you haven’t got anything to lose–you’re just there. The wretchedness humbles us and softens us, but if we were only wretched, we would all just go down the tubes. We’d be so depressed, discouraged, and hopeless that we wouldn’t have enough energy to eat an apple. Gloriousness and wretchedness need each other. One inspires us, the other softens us. They go together ~ Pema Chödrön, Start Where You Are: A Guide To Compassionate Living
Just what i needed to read today – thanks!
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Love Pema Chodron
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Somehow I find this reassuring, the inspiring and the softening. It gives heartache a tinge of beauty and purpose, and I have to agree that we are opened up. I guess this idea makes sadness more comforting . . . though it is nevertheless so very difficult. ~Catherine
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Your words are really beautiful Catherine – thank you so much x
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“Sometimes I wish that life were less complicated–that joy was always unadultereated, that happiness was always untempered. But life consists of “and-ness.” It is pleasure and pain, health and illness, joy and sorrow. If we miss a moment of joy while we are immersed in sorrow (and sometimes we have no choice), we miss that particular joy forever.” (Excerpted from Fine Black Lines: Reflections on Facing Cancer, Fear and Loneliness, copyright 1993, 2003 Lois Tschetter Hjelmstad.)
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I can’t tell you how much joy it gives me to log on and read some of your beautiful prose and poetry Lois – thank you so much for sharing these words
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This is so very true. I’ve felt both of these and I truly believe they go together like hand in glove. xox
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I hope I can always remember this Jan – love to you x
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Very interesting and often true. Gloriousness can make some people lose touch with or have not compassion for others not walking the same glorious walk. And wretchedness does soften and sensitize us. But I think it depends on the person too – some people can be grateful for their happiness and still be kind. Some people who’ve had bad stuff happen are just bitter. Don’t you think? Thanks for this post. I enjoy reading them and everyone’s responses.
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I just love this. Thank you. Life is about joy and pain, happiness and sorrow, grief and elation. Txo
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Yes, and why is it each time the pain comes we resist it so much? Well at least i do!
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I love the balance involved in this blog. It is so much a part of our lives!
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Yes indeed – thanks for taking the time to comment Susan x
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Life just is. Some things just are. We don’t have as much control as we’d like to think we have do we? I’d have to add that sometimes wretchedness “hardens.” There is always that choice to become “hardened” or to become “softened” don’t you think? Thanks for this post.
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Oh yes, I really love that you touch on that in your comment Nancy – we have the choice to let life’s travails harden us into bitterness or soften us into compassion. Thank you s
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