Welcome to the Wisdom of the World

FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 15, 2008
Sometimes Joan Chittister’s thoughts are just too good. I have to limit my reading of her Welcome to the Wisdom of the World. This morning, waking before I needed to get up, I picked up the book again. It was one of those, “Oh, if I’d read something else I may have been able to fall back to sleep” events. Chapter 23: “What is Happiness?” From a Sufi story is the admonition, “This too, will pass.” (p. 152) The king asks for something that when he is unhappy will make him joyful, and will also, when looked upon when happy, it will make him sad.

So much of my angst, concern, worrying is about things that will pass. And, so much of the joy in life that I want to hold on to forever will also pass.

I will keep the memories. I will look forward to the changes that are coming, whatever they are, for good or bad, helpful or harmful. I will try to keep it all in mind and in the knowledge that all is transitory, except for God’s love.

Through the great happiness’s and great sadness’s I do not want to be immune or to avoid feeling the feelings that come with the events. I want to be aware of my feelings about them while also knowing that the events will not last.

Perhaps I can add to Chittister’s thought. “This too, will pass, and I will try to be aware of my feelings while it is here, then be able to remember it and the feelings later.”