On beginnings
Any forward motion,
Any movement towards what we want,
Those actions driven by desire?
They ride on wheels of hope.
Starting riding bikes seriously reminded me how out of shape I was. Oh sure the riding bit was fun. It was thrilling to know that I could go places on a bike I never thought possible. I tried to grind along with the rest of my buds. I didn’t ride very far. It made me very sore nonetheless. Beginning start exciting and become a grind
Beginning to surf hurt my back, shoulders and mind. Oh sure, when I stood up on a board for the first time, I was thrilled. I thought I was surfing. I was kinda. I would return from those first fifty or more surfs a pummeled pulp of a man, pounded down by the ocean. Beginnings are thrilling and can leave you feeling pounded down.
Beginning therapy, can initially be enlightening, invigorating and freeing. It doesn’t take long before you realize that just talking to someone is the tip of the iceberg and that the problems below the surface that have been influencing you for years are much worse than you thought. Beginning therapy can feel a lot like falling into a vortex.
For beginners, things tend to get worse at some point. Our enjoyments don’t quite match our efforts. There’s an unexpected gap between what we expect for ourselves and where we are.
That’s when it’s time to leap.
Those who begin are foolish. I love the foolish.
Those who leap are remarkable.
There’s a new beginning just beyond where you are standing.
Are you ready?
No?
Good.
Jump.
Jumping! Thanks for the push :)
Thoughtful post.
Ready is the enemy of progress. Prepare to the point of understanding. Rather than continue to prepare, begin. Perhaps it's a tentative toe, but why? No one ever had a great time dipping a toe. Did they avoid strong sensations? Did they avoid embarrassment? Did they save face? At what cost? At the cost of a thrilling experience. At the cost of experience itself. My most cherished uncle died yesterday. A good man. A good life. He was strong and gentle and left a legacy of good, strong people influenced by him. My son turned 21 yesterday. He is now a man in all lands. My wish for him? To live a life as a good man. To be missed when he is done and to have a thrilling life, free of concern over appearances and embarrassment. To never dip a toe.