Nothing and everything matters
Both in my personal and professional life there are many reminders of the extent to which us humans struggle with being enough. It seems we are either boasting about our accomplishments in hopes that some will recognize that we are better then or we are burying ourselves under guilt and shame because we know we are not enough. Many fail to realize that both dances come from the same lack of faith that it is enough to be our fumbling, creative, loving, hurtful, dramatic selves.
We realize that life, at best, is ten minutes long and that 99.9999% of what we worry about does not matter at the end of those 10 minutes. We have probably all had the experience of cleaning out the home of a parent who is now deceased or is living out their last minutes in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Most of the items which must be dispersed to relatives, given to thrift stores or taken to the dump are of little value. There might be some items which some others will treasure, but, for the most part, there is a house full of stuff which now has little value; stuff which all together created a sense of home for the former occupants. If there is an auction after the few items which might help to create a home for someone else all are sold off in boxes or lots. It has morphed from treasures to “stuff”.
As one looks about their home most items tell a story which together create a tapestry which wraps itself around one. Family and other friends are invited to share the shelter of that tapestry. Once the residents or homemakers are gone there is no tapestry. There may be some photographs or individual items which will join the items in the home of a child or friend which will become part of their tapestry. Sometimes the urns containing the ashes of the deceased humans or pets sit off to the side in the homes of a relative or friend. I have visited homes in which there were several urns containing ashes. Yet the spirits of people and even favorite pets can only continue their journey if they are firmly absorbed into the DNA of those remaining. All the stories of the former occupants must find their way into the embrace of those who loved them. A word, gesture, scent, or touch will join all the ancestors who live within the DNA of all of us. Perhaps, ironically, it is that very large group of somewhat nebulous spirits who will join together to form the essence of this life journey. Individually there is no story or worth. It is only in that collective spirit that we have meaning and purpose. It is true that unless we allow the collective of all our ancestors to live within us we are not enough because in a real sense we do not exist as individuals. If we do not exist we do not matter. If, on the other hand, we embrace all that we are; all that makes us who we are then we are enough. We and our life journey matters in a very profound way.
Today I will embrace all the ancestors which together have formed this human. Today I will know that I am enough. Today I will know that alone nothing matters and together everything matters.
Written May 5, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
Both in my personal and professional life there are many reminders of the extent to which us humans struggle with being enough. It seems we are either boasting about our accomplishments in hopes that some will recognize that we are better then or we are burying ourselves under guilt and shame because we know we are not enough. Many fail to realize that both dances come from the same lack of faith that it is enough to be our fumbling, creative, loving, hurtful, dramatic selves.
We realize that life, at best, is ten minutes long and that 99.9999% of what we worry about does not matter at the end of those 10 minutes. We have probably all had the experience of cleaning out the home of a parent who is now deceased or is living out their last minutes in a nursing home or assisted living facility. Most of the items which must be dispersed to relatives, given to thrift stores or taken to the dump are of little value. There might be some items which some others will treasure, but, for the most part, there is a house full of stuff which now has little value; stuff which all together created a sense of home for the former occupants. If there is an auction after the few items which might help to create a home for someone else all are sold off in boxes or lots. It has morphed from treasures to “stuff”.
As one looks about their home most items tell a story which together create a tapestry which wraps itself around one. Family and other friends are invited to share the shelter of that tapestry. Once the residents or homemakers are gone there is no tapestry. There may be some photographs or individual items which will join the items in the home of a child or friend which will become part of their tapestry. Sometimes the urns containing the ashes of the deceased humans or pets sit off to the side in the homes of a relative or friend. I have visited homes in which there were several urns containing ashes. Yet the spirits of people and even favorite pets can only continue their journey if they are firmly absorbed into the DNA of those remaining. All the stories of the former occupants must find their way into the embrace of those who loved them. A word, gesture, scent, or touch will join all the ancestors who live within the DNA of all of us. Perhaps, ironically, it is that very large group of somewhat nebulous spirits who will join together to form the essence of this life journey. Individually there is no story or worth. It is only in that collective spirit that we have meaning and purpose. It is true that unless we allow the collective of all our ancestors to live within us we are not enough because in a real sense we do not exist as individuals. If we do not exist we do not matter. If, on the other hand, we embrace all that we are; all that makes us who we are then we are enough. We and our life journey matters in a very profound way.
Today I will embrace all the ancestors which together have formed this human. Today I will know that I am enough. Today I will know that alone nothing matters and together everything matters.
Written May 5, 2020
Jimmy F Pickett
coachpickett.org
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