Pathwalking 6
Not only is the path not straight – neither does it run smoothly and evenly.
There are hills, dips, twists, turns, ruts and potholes. There are points from which you can see the goal, only to be turned almost completely around. And sometimes the path seems to leap across incredible distances, defying all logic.
This is part of the overall frustration in trying to choose one’s own path. I know what I want, I know how I want my life to be – and yet, twist, turn, dip…and I am in a rut I never saw coming, and wonder how I got here…and how to get out.
It is, for obvious reasons, very frustrating to hit these points along the path. You focus on your desire, you focus on making choices and being conscious of your path – and yet, there you are, stuck again. Seriously?
So what do you do? How do you not get overwhelmed? How do you not give up? It’s so easy to say, “This isn’t going to work. I am foolish for thinking I can choose my own path. I quit – I’ll just take it as it happens!” And of course, once you start THAT sort of thought process – it is even harder to move forward.
This is another question that often plagues me. How DO I continue? How can I possibly continue to believe I have ANY say in my existence, and any control over the path I wish to be on?
My answer takes a bunch of different angles. And it’s usually all about the situation, which will determine what I do.
First answer: Stop. Pause. Assess the situation. Analyze how I got where I am, and what my options are for getting out of it. Meditate. Consider if I am in a bad situation, a nuisance, a REALLY bad situation – or something else. Prioritize. Explore my options, and try to make my OWN way out, rather than just sitting back and seeing what happens next.
This, of course, it the hardest option. It requires something of a leap of faith – holding to the belief in the notion that ‘consciousness creates reality’, and that I can control the choice of my path. And that, on darker days in deeper ruts, presents an even greater challenge. But if I recall that I have done this before – and remember and focus on HOW I did it – I can find my way again. Not easy, though.
Second answer: Divert. Find something ELSE to put focus into, and find a distraction to take my mind off the problem/disappointment/whatever. Sometimes, in going on some diversion from my situation, I can once again find my path. I can reclaim my direction, and regain my bearings.
This can, of course, have unforeseen consequences. Sometimes the diversion takes on a life of it’s own. And sometimes it starts you down a wholly different path from that which you were on. That can be good – or not. But if you are back to purpose, you’re at least making the effort.
Third answer: Fight. Push. Climb out of the rut, push back against the distraction and the depressions and soldier on. Take up arms against the distress, struggle to overcome the obstacles, let nothing get in your way.
This can be nearly as difficult as stopping. It can also be problematic, as sometimes these imperfections are, in fact, meant to get you OFF this path you are on, because it is not actually a good choice. If you are fighting the wrong fight, you set yourself back as far, if not farther, than the unexpected might.
Fourth answer: Give in. Give up on taking this path. Start over. Look for other options.
The problem this presents is really about degrees. Giving in is NOT giving up. This is about compromise, not surrender. You acknowledge that something about the path you are attempting is not going to work for you – so you start anew. The danger is in letting feelings of failure stop you from trying to choose – and denying the ability to walk the path you wish to take.
Fifth answer: Multitask. A combination of stopping, diverting, fighting, and giving in. The path is nuanced and complicated, and sometimes the simple is complicated and the complicated is, in fact, simple. So the answer may be any combination of these. This is, of course, most complex, as it requires a firm conviction in the goal of pathwalking, and that all the bumps, ruts, twists and turns are just a part of the path, and can be overcome and dealt with.
This brings me to the point of this entire series. Choosing to walk the path is a conscious decision. Not easy, not simple, and in some ways, really, not for the feint-of-heart. The quick-and-easy path is to just not fight, not try, not work to choose your own path – let life live YOU. But I believe that nothing worth having is ever easy – and so I will choose my path, and I will make MY way.
How about you?
This is the sixth entry in my series. These weekly posts are specifically about walking along the path of life, and my desire to make a difference in this world along the way. Thank you for joining me.
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