Hard Earned Lessons

As recently addressed, knowledge is a collection of discernible, presumably factual, tidbits that comprise our world view. But there's another valuable collection we carry with us, that's somewhat less tangible, but equally useful. We've all had experiences that provided us with understanding & perspectives that add greater depth or texture to our existing comprehension.

A teacher once told me that we have to fail in order to learn. I could see that failure would teach us how not to do things; but, at the time, I didn't grasp the more subtle lessons that we receive, only, through enduring hardship.

It's important to know how to deal with the emotions that arise when we encounter unexpected difficulties. How to accept them, weather them and move beyond them. And, as well as being important for our own well rounded development, such experiences are also critical for our ability to relate to others, in their full range of reactions to the human condition.

Until suffering through great loss, one can't truly empathize with someone who's experiencing it. Living with terminal illness or chronic pain is unimaginable to the uninitiated. Making a catastrophically bad decision, hurting someone you care for, being duped, betraying yourself, breaking something precious, … Life offers us endless camouflaged opportunities for growth and personal expansion.

Of course, we can never really accumulate a complete understanding. Even having been a child, someone who's never been a parent can't grasp the feeling of complete and unyielding committal to another's well being that accompanies accepting the role. (Not that all parents get that one.) A person born into and accustomed to living with wealth can't comprehend what it's like to work two or three jobs and still not be able to fully provide for one's family. Likewise, one who works on a factory line has no idea what it's like to be responsible for the lives of hundreds or thousands of families with every day's decision making. And so on.

Compassion and empathy. Meaningless, even foolishness, to those without. But for those who embrace them, they're what draws us out of the safe and sterile world of the mind, enabling us to feel connection. Like we're an integral part of the world and global family of all life, rather than lone competitors, in a free-for-all, on a hostile field, with no time outs.

We're all life long works in progress. Relish your further education, however it's presented to you. My hope is that this understanding will help you to hold a lighter heart, the next time life deals you a dose of adversity.