Same Coin

HEADS: Hardship, in forcing us to exercise greater patience and forbearance in daily life, actually makes us stronger and more robust. From the daily experience of hardship comes a greater capacity to accept difficulties without losing our sense of inner calm. Of course, I do not advocate seeking out hardship as a way of life, but merely wish to suggest that, if you relate to it constructively, it can bring greater inner strength and fortitude.. Dalai Llama 

TAILS: There is only one reason to do anything: to announce

and declare, express and fulfill, become and

experience Who You Really Are.

Do what you do, therefore, for the sheer joy of it,

for sheer joy is who you are. Do what you choose,

not what someone else chooses for you…Neal Donald Walsch 

Hardship and sheer joy, opposites, enemies, odd bedfellows, or strangers in the  night?

Not quite right, lotsa gray. So I will take none-of-the-above. 

And suggest that they are the same. Two sides of the same coin. Yin and twin yang. Night and day. You in happy mode and you sullen. The fact that you ride your bike pushing a bigger gear or ride it at 122rpm, still necessitates the actual turning of pedals. You ride. HOW is another matter. 

Imagine no hardship. No challenge. No problems to solve, headaches to cure or obstacles to avoid. Not a lot of growth in that scenario. Fact is, sounds pretty dullsville to me. I like the fact that today will be a test. How long can I maintain my awareness without falling prey to myriad distractions? How do I move closer to my goal? How do I handle this perplexing petty problem that has (because of my unwillingness to address it properly), taken up permanent residence in my consciousness? How do I manage, cope, thrive? 

Because please remember folks, when we signed up for this course, it added the footnote……no matter what. THAT means despite hardship. No excuse will do. None acceptable. Sorry. That is the game, those are the rules, and that is the way we play. It's HARD. OK? 

If it was easy it would have zero value. 

Calling tails as the coin falls to palm, the sheer joy factor means once you accept the "heads" premise, everything, yes, everything has inherent joy. We spin for that reason. Ride for that reason, run for that reason and love for that reason. We seek challenge for that reason. We solve problems and create jobs. Or create laughter at the very least. The only thing we expect of others is that they do likewise. Can you imagine a world filled with sheer joy? We have plenty of hardship, simply look around, but what would happen if we were somehow able to rise above the din and smile despite the oppression, work together to create a better space and appreciate the challenge as we smile our way through the swamp? 

Heads you win. Tails you do too. 

That is the only way it is going to get easier. 

It's your call. 

I spent all day yesterday, instead of working on the you-know-what, working on this graphic for a client. The union hall was closed on Sunday so I had to be photographer, model, grip, best boy, designer, developer, colorist and janitor. Not to mention driver and caterer. What I found out was that sometimes hardship, even with the sheer joy of creating, merely creates additional hardship.

At least I get to keep the socks.