-THE WINDING WAY-
So often in my life, I have thought
In order to be successful and fulfilled
I must travel in a straight line,
I must follow the rules
even when they don’t serve me well.
A plus B equals C is the way things
are supposed to unfold in proper order.
After all, it’s a linear reality, right?
To stay on track I must not deviate…
This is the way of the setting sun world,
And it is ingrained in me to simply obey
no matter what encourages me to “stray”.
We were told in school that the shortest distance
between two points is a straight line,
which became the philosophy
about how to function in a
compulsively ordered society,
expediency, convenience, and speed
have become the driving force,
Assurance, safety, and protection
the watchwords for remaining intact.
And all of these things arise
from a fear-based culture.
Before we know it we become lulled
into the illusion of predictive outcomes,
and as much as this can be helpful
and of use in the practical mechanics of life,
it does not represent or engender
vibrant living…it is functional
but not resilient and spontaneous.
My greatest joys and discoveries
have come from stepping off
the beaten path.
We all have had experiences
when we found ourselves “lost”,
and in being so discovered more about ourselves,
as we unraveled possibilities
beyond what we could have ever imagined.
Such moments teach us that
there is no right or wrong path,
there is just the journey,
which isn’t always about getting somewhere.
The great adventure is about discovery,
and if we attempt to control the outcomes too much
we can find ourselves in a straightjacket.
And who does this control truly serve?
Do the rules liberate us or enslave us?
And are not the rules of the universe
designed for our ongoing expansion
and the evolution of our souls?
If we foster respect for all of life,
suspiciousness would fall away,
and a generosity of spirit would prevail.
After all, WE are the makers of the reality
we find ourselves in,
and WE can change it
by simply changing our minds and opening our hearts.
We can discover that to truly live
we must grow beyond our comforts,
and as we do our love expands like water,
which never follows a straight path,
but embraces the path of least resistance.
The Egyptians used the symbol of a snake everywhere
to represent our journey in life,
as a winding way to that which becomes
many unpredictable outcomes
determined by the grace of moving about freely,
never concerned about the ever-changing route
that is providing for our progression.
And so, I challenge you today,
to be like water,
to find your serpentine path of least resistance,
using joy, curious abandon, love
and unpredictability as your guide.
You never know what you might discover,
and how such discoveries
can transform your life.
-Tru Starhorse Dec. 5th, ‘22
