Posted by chumbawumba on May 11, 2009, at 21:35:40
In reply to Re: what this world needs is more....., posted by Sigismund on May 11, 2009, at 21:04:53
> >For better or for worse, as human beings, the secret of life is will, the secret of life is willingness; the willingness to take one step is what grows and develops our faith.
>
> So perhaps faith can come from the preparedness to take the risk of being vulnerable?Well that's the great and the frustrating thing about these Zen masters. It's like a Rorschach test. You can interpret what they say in many different ways. JUST GIVE ME A STRAIGHT ANSWER DAMMNIT!!!
The way I interpet that particular section (in the context of despair and depression) is that we just have to be willing to take one more step. If that next step is making oneself vulnerable so be it. Whatever that may be, to just do the best we can no matter how small the effort. And then repeat. There's no big secret, no quantum leap, no sudden enlightenment.
So maybe I can't get out of bed I'm so depressed. Well so maybe I can move an arm out from underneath the covers. Or maybe it's just to not pull the trigger or not take the overdose of pills. And then little by little we get a little stronger. Maybe I can get up and brush my teeth.
So sometimes it seems like I can't go on. But the hope, the solution lies in just taking the next step. However small, the step itself is not important. It's the willingness to do something, anything.
I remember at my worst. It was all I could do to not kill myself. And I guess my recovery started when I became willing to live.
poster:chumbawumba
thread:895085
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/psycho/20090421/msgs/895267.html