False love casts a shadow that blinds us to truth;
True love embraces that which brings darkness.
For only truth of self is known, felt, and seen
when the heart accepts the struggle as a friend.
Struggle and pain are necessary. If we are coddled and cocooned from the realities of life, we would never learn and grow. Struggle and pain afford us the opportunity to learn about ourselves. Without struggle and pain, we would exist but not live. For some this may seem to be a vacation, however the Universe has a funny way of not letting us escape this truth.
Struggle and pain are road signs showing us we are cultivating the skills to flourish in a world is willing to break our resolve. Without these challenges to break through, our existence would have no meaning. We would be left as empty shells.
When we complain about the problems we encounter, we are moaning about living. While some will sympathize and others sneer in derision, most will ignore your pain because they are pierced with it themselves.
The truth hurts for a reason, but it does not need to slay.
We are faced with struggles, pain, heartache, and wounds every day for a reason. These wounds while fresh and hemorrhaging tell us we are experiencing life at the rawest level.
Mended wounds are badges inviting others to know vulnerability and freedom can exist together. Time does not heal wounds. Growth does. Are you growing?
Reject the notion that life should be easy. Stop teaching our children the world is fair. Forgo the platitude that everything is fine. Life is not meant to be easy, fair or fine.
Life is messy, painful, ugly, and beautiful. Life challenges us so we can rise to potential, so we can learn the lessons we came here to understand.
Life beseeches us to fall, not to hurt ourselves but to learn we have wings.
Growth happens when the struggles, pain, and wounds are embraced for the gifts they are.
When we accept our pain, we accept ourselves. When we accept ourselves, we love ourselves. Your acceptance of your pain and struggles is the key to loving yourself. Why aren’t you?
Your responsibility as a human who is learning to grow, seeking light, searching for love is to accept your wounds, your pain, and your struggle as your enlightenment. With the brightest of light, truth hides in the darkest of places. We must be willing to see beyond the shadows, the void within to find what nourishes our spirit. Do not allow yourself to be stopped by a fear of the dark. Step into it and I promise you will find illumination.
If you need a hand, a bear hug is always waiting to help.
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This post is republished on Medium.
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