AS FRAIL AS IT is to be human, the resilience and adaptability possible absolutely astounds me.
It seems contradictory, as easily as these bodies can be broken or sicken, but I fully believe that is where the key is revealed—there is a major difference between the body and the mind.
The mind is what is able to adapt to environment, able to survive crises, able to accept—or reject—change.
The older I grow, the more I see how easily the mind can also be manipulated or deceived.
The major changes at work (which are still underway) have been one personal example of that for me.
Over the past five weeks, I’ve watched myself and those around me go through the cycle of grumble, balk, resentfully cooperate, adjust, relax, begin to accept…
And we’re all okay!
And guess what?
I’m even beginning to see ways this has been a GOOD thing for me.
I’ve just finished reading The Book Thief by Markus Zusak, and this wonderful book demonstrates all these beautifully, from the courage of doing what you believe to be right, to the bravery of doing what you HAVE to at times, to how words and the mind can be used to hoodwink an entire country right into the hands of a dictator—and free and empower a person as well!
It’s all in our heads.
The major purpose of the entire Buddhist path is directed to training the mind, to seeing the reality of reality in all its rawness, and to consciously choose reactions to what is seen and override the death-grip of habitual responses.
Way easier said than done, but with each real-life experience, the truth of these things are polished just a tiny bit more, and the determination to keep plodding toward growth strengthens.
Allons-y!
.