At Peace with the Process

Amidst the earthly turbulence of change and loss we must find peace in this very moment. We can work hard throughout all of our days to bring the light out of us, but there is no guarantee our goals and dreams and wishes will ever be fulfilled.

“Like all Axial teachers, Laozi was not simply concerned with the practicalities of survival, but with finding a source of transcendent peace in the midst of earthly turbulence. He aspires to the ultimate reality, the Dao, which goes beyond the gods, and is the ineffable basis of all existence. It transcends everything we can conceptualize, and yet if we cultivate an inner emptiness, without selfish desire and without greed, and live in a compassionate manner, we will be in harmony with the Dao and thus transformed.” Karen Armstrong, A Short History of Myth, p. 91

I’m writing a story. 150,000 words so far… perhaps a million more to go. Will I ever get to the end? I cannot say. But that won’t keep me from pushing on. A jet engine could take me out at anytime. The overwhelming futility of the mission must not keep us on our asses.

We must do all we can, but we must not expect the time to see our quest through. That is not up to us. Does it mean we can be careless? Not at all. I will do all I can to preserve my progress.

Should this laptop get jacked, I have my story backed up on USB. Should my memory stick get flattened, I have it all backed-up on gmail. Should the entire net get wiped clean by a global EMP, I have it preserved in my head.

Should I find myself gone before my time, it still lives on in my friends and family. And should we all be wiped out in a cosmic wave of fire, than so be it.

For it is in this moment – right now – where I can say 100% that I’ve committed myself to doing all I can. In the realization of this – during this very moment – time is transcended and the goal is reached. For any of us to realize this (even for a moment) is the infinite universe realizing itself… and what could be the point further than that?

For mine (and yours) are the eyes of the universe… and these are the words of the universe… and as half-formed as these thoughts may be, the inkling of impression that *this* is *it* is all that matters.

Does this mean the work is over and done with? No! Push on! Keep it up! Give up not until the last breath has left your body. The path is yours and mine to walk – we must trek it as we’re best able. And so I push on – and no matter what happens, I’ve found peace. To find peace in the moment – in the process – is to transcend this transient realm of space and time and find peace with eternity, in all of its indescribable and unspeakable glory!

Go now and do it!