Don't Waste A Curse On The Universe
Don't look for the flaws as you go through life;
And even when you find them,
It is wise and kind to be somewhat blind
And look for the virtue behind them.
For the cloudiest night has a hint of light
Somewhere in its shadows hiding;
It is better by far to hunt for a star,
Than the spots on the sun abiding.
The current of life runs ever away
To the bosom of God's great ocean.
Don't set your force 'gainst the river's course
And think to alter its motion.
Don't waste a curse on the universe--
Remember it lived before you.
Don't butt at the storm with your puny form,
But bend and let it go o'er you.
The world will never adjust itself
To suit your whims to the letter.
Some things must go wrong your whole life long,
And the sooner you know it the better.
It is folly to fight with the Infinite,
And go under at last in the wrestle;
The wiser man shapes into God's plan
As water shapes into a vessel.
Ella Wheeler Wilcox (1850-1919) was an American author and poet. Her works include Solitude, which contains the famous line "Laugh, and the world laughs with you; weep, and you weep alone."
SEED QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION: What do you make of the notion of wasting a curse on the universe? Can you share a personal story of a time you bent to a storm and let it go over you? What helps you make peace with the fact that some things must go wrong our whole life long?
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13 Past Reflections
On Apr 14, 2023 Usha Shetty wrote :
In the series of events in our life, where good, bad or ugly would be a part and parcel, each of us have our own share of it. There are situations in our lives that we have not experienced yet we have an opinion. We may not know what the other is undergoing and yet we have an advice for them. Intentionally or unintentionally our remarks or behaviour will be the reason for someone’s pain yet we have no consideration. However, when we are in the similar condition or phase we are stressed. We blame others, expect understanding. Even if we regret our past mistakes, we never admit or apologise even though it may haunt us.
We need to understand is, practically it is not possible for ourselves to be always right. So, can’t we go a step ahead to apologise when we realise our mistake. And in case, if it is the other way round, shouldn’t we just let it go with smile, thinking that poor thing must not have experienced the situation, which could be the reason for rudeness.
It... [View Full Comment]
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On Apr 11, 2023 Germán wrote :
This reminds me of the following idea: Can we choose to see light no matter what we are looking at? I have struggled focusing on this, realizing that our experience is connected to what we choose to observe. For a long time I felt alone, but recently I have discovered that I am never alone. A curse is a wish for difficulties or illness for someone else, this can never benefit anyone, what we offer, comes back to us, we are not separate. What Stream wrote inspired me very much. Thank you.
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On Apr 11, 2023 Norma wrote :
This reminds me of a quote I read and cherish for many years now…
You cannot see the light but for the darkness…
You cannot see the light but for the darkness…
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On Apr 11, 2023 Stream wrote :
Ahhhh- I just read this poem and seed question and others reflections. I have recently had a string of challenges to my calm. My 52 year old son dove back into mental health breakdown, meth addiction, and homelessness. His woes was catalyst for his mother to have heart arrhythmias and other stress related health issues. His 22 yr old son is expressing suicidal thoughts. He pulled his daughter into his financial morass. And other granddaughter was hospitalized with bleeding esophagus related to alcoholic liver cirrhosis in her 30's while raising our 2 beautiful great grandsons. And there is much more.
YET, I recognize how blessed we all are and that "cursing the universe" would come from my primary narcissistic wound of having a shadow believe that the great spirit within and around me that is the creative force beneath everything has abandoned me. AND in my soul, I know that that creative source of Love and Beauty is always present and that the most effective thing I can do is... [View Full Comment]
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On Apr 11, 2023 Sharad Seth wrote :
It's such a deep concept - The idea of "some things must go wrong your whole life long". I almost cried as I read this whole poem, but this one line struck me as the essence of it. And to be honest, I have actually not been able to make complete peace with this fact so far. But what helps me put things in perspective, is when I see that it's only "some" things which must go wrong my whole life. Which means there will be "many" things which will actually go right. And by having gratitude for those things, I can probably overcome the remaining things.
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On Apr 11, 2023 Sharon Black wrote :
The Covid Storm has taught me to bend into a new form. I have learned to live a quieter life, more focused on my family and farm. I enjoy what I can direct my love and attention on rather than struggling to be so busy in the larger world. , I am more content with my smaller life than I was prior to accepting my new shape.
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On Apr 11, 2023 Mamta wrote :
Love this. Thank you. Flowing with what is, staying present, welcoming what is, not always easy, but I am open and willing to learn.
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On Apr 10, 2023 Karthikeyani wrote :
If only we accept what universe gives us, wouldn't that be a calm state. Wow, what a bliss that would be.
Expectations drives to judgements and disappointments, it is this judgemental attitude which I have always been wrestling to overcome. I distanced myself from many with fear of disappointments, and developed compartmentalization quality. There were many instances when I realized later, good it happened this way, which was a big complain during the course of event.
I am consciously moulding myself to accept as it is.
Expectations drives to judgements and disappointments, it is this judgemental attitude which I have always been wrestling to overcome. I distanced myself from many with fear of disappointments, and developed compartmentalization quality. There were many instances when I realized later, good it happened this way, which was a big complain during the course of event.
I am consciously moulding myself to accept as it is.
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On Apr 9, 2023 Ted wrote :
It is my finite ego that always wants this or that to be other than it is, my ego that draws the line between what I like (and call "good") and dislike (and call "bad"). It may be tempting to call on any authority I see to bless the "good" and curse the "bad", yet if I undertake that "self righteously", further suffering always seems to result.
As a family, society, nation, culture, or even as humanity the majority of us may agree on some things being good or bad, but even those change over time, context, and situation. To me, all of this looks like conditioned patterns, passed down through heredity (IE death=bad), examples (Parents? Heroes?), instruction (scripture?), or karma. Awareness allows seeing beyond those limitation, recognizing (and appreciating!) the larger whole within which they take place (which of course includes us, and our choices) BE-ing the blessing seems like a choice that reduces suffering...
As a family, society, nation, culture, or even as humanity the majority of us may agree on some things being good or bad, but even those change over time, context, and situation. To me, all of this looks like conditioned patterns, passed down through heredity (IE death=bad), examples (Parents? Heroes?), instruction (scripture?), or karma. Awareness allows seeing beyond those limitation, recognizing (and appreciating!) the larger whole within which they take place (which of course includes us, and our choices) BE-ing the blessing seems like a choice that reduces suffering...
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On Apr 9, 2023 David Doane wrote :
Life in this universe includes problems. You aren't going to change that, so to curse the universe is to waste a curse. (I think all curses are a waste.) That life has problems is okay because problems aren't just difficulties, they are opportunities to grow. Even though I say that, I try often to control storms, make them go how I want them to go. I believe in letting storms go over me, but I'm not very good at that. I tend to bend reluctantly. I think I surrender more than bend. I don't think some things must go wrong; I think we see things that way when things don't go as we think they should. What helps me be at peace is knowing that, knowing that things happen and change is constant, and knowing that things don't really go wrong, they just don't go as we'd like. That something is going wrong is a judgment call. I am getting better at going with the flow, not trying to control or predict.
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On Apr 8, 2023 Jagdish P Dave wrote :
Life is not always a bed of roses. It has also painful thorns. The Buddha mkes a wise reflection on suffering. He calls it a noble truth. Why do we suffer? What or who causes suffering? Once we know the cause of suffering, we can learn about suffering and when we apply this knowing, we can be free from our self-created suffering. Then thers is no blamimg, no fighting, no denying. We free ourselves from the grip of suffering. This is the way of being enlightened.
Knowing the cause of suffering is the way of reducing or becoming free from the self-caused suffering. Knowin is onething. Practicing and implementing is another thing. I know the path of ending the suffering. However, there are times when I have missed the mark and caused suffering to me and to others who have loved me unconditionally. I have related to my suffering compassionately and this knowing has helped me not to create my own suffering and that way I do not cause suffering in others who love me.
Being honest and aut... [View Full Comment]
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On Apr 8, 2023 Shyam wrote :
Sometimes life hurts us, causes us pain. Rather than accepting it as nature's way of doing things, we start blaming others or even ourselves.
In this manner , apart from the physical pain or emotional pain that might have been caused, we add more pain by attributing the pain to someone else, even God , even ourselves , and attract much more suffering , which is much higher than the pain would have caused us.
It is observed that even gold has to go undera lot of stress ( fire) to be purified. Can we just take any stressful event this way and treat it and even welcome it , as our own purification process.
In this manner , apart from the physical pain or emotional pain that might have been caused, we add more pain by attributing the pain to someone else, even God , even ourselves , and attract much more suffering , which is much higher than the pain would have caused us.
It is observed that even gold has to go undera lot of stress ( fire) to be purified. Can we just take any stressful event this way and treat it and even welcome it , as our own purification process.