BEYOND ALL THIS

We are all familiar with the debate over what factor exerts the most powerful influence on our human development. Is it nature or nurture? The answer, of course, is both. Then, there is the impact of social and environmental influences beyond our DNA and upbringing.

Much of the time, it feels as if all these influences limit who we are. Try as we might, we can’t get beyond them.

Yesterday, I had such a day. Painful memories from the past flooded my mind. I felt utterly inadequate to perform the tasks in front of me. A daunting winter storm raged outside our home, and unrelenting bad news about the Coronavirus pandemic raged in the media.

“I will never get beyond all this,” I told myself as I went to bed. “I just have to accept that.”

But sometimes, we unexpectedly encounter a person, a place, or an event, and the alchemy of that experience lifts us up, letting us know that we are far more than what seems to limit us in our ordinary lives. We get a glimpse of who we really are, which is beyond everything we think we know about ourselves.

Sometimes, a dream works that kind of magic. After yesterday’s dismal day, I received a much-needed dose of inspiration through someone I met in last night's dreams. I woke up with the strong conviction that I CAN get beyond all this. In fact, I will INEVITABLY get beyond all this.