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What Question Best Assesses the Success of Your Life? 10/17/2013 2:20:00 PM
Autumn is one of those times of the year that seems to bring on deep reflection. Maybe it’s the leaf-musty slightly damp weather that holds something of both warmth and sadness. A wistfulness intrinsically woven through the mist that loops its magic fingers into the sleepy world.
I’m not sure why how this question came to me… I think it was a combination of a song lyric that I had just heard… something about being near the end… I think the lyric went; this is where we start again. But my wandering thoughts, following the random nature of the autumn mist- took their own turn. If this is the end… or near the end… was it worth it? That was a thought-stopping question, for me. I don’t know. while Recovering from bubonic-flu plague, is probably not the best time to contemplate deep-meaning questions…. but there it was….
As a medicine person, part of the training I went through ( not all people take identical training- and I am grateful for the mentors and teachers I had), one of the areas we spend 6 months working with intensely, is what we refer to as “Death Rites.” We do in fact, learn the underlying concepts of helping people ( and animals) cross, when it is their Time, learning how to help discern IF it is their time, and supporting all involved in the process of someone’s death-journey. However, before we do that… we were rigourously trained in taking on aspects of our own death-journey.
One of my teachers framed it this way; if Death showed up, and tapped you on the shoulder, right NOW… Are you ready to go? The point of this, is to push us to resolve anything that is still lingering. We were taught to make sure, and to go through the process, of any unspoken “ I love you’s,” “I’m sorry’s,” and “goodbyes.” Cleaning house, on an energetic and emotional level. It is a very cathartic process, of re-capitulating an entire life: looking back on it, and examining it with eyes that are searching to create closure and resolution. To make peace with anyone and anything, that might be the equivalent of “ bad karma,” the kinds of things, when we really think about and consider– we don’t want to follow us, or to have to deal with later. Much like a sink full of dishes pile of laundry, there comes a point when you know it’s time to wash them and put them away. They are messy, taking up space, and get in the way of creativity and progress in your own life.
However, all of this work… none of these questions is quite the same as having to ask: Was it worth it? The first question, is kind of like writing the story, and wanting to make any changes to the script. The second question… is more like assessing the value and quality of the script as a whole. Is it “done?” And, does it have value? The image that comes to my mind, is something like Tolkien’s the Hobbit, where Frodo closes the book, the book of his story….both Bilbo and Frodo have had, told and are satisfied with their stories… their part in the bigger story is done. And they are both satisfied, content. There is closure. So, if I were closing that metaphorical book, my book… would there be a satisfaction and closure there? Or, if say when we continue on our post-life journey…. and I ran into a tourist, looking for a place to visit– would Earth and Life… by on my list of recommendations? What would I have to say about this place and time?
Was it worth it? Did I figure out the important questions? Unfortunately, the life-journey is not like a school program. There is no quiz at the end. No one to tell us if we pass, or fail, or what the deeper meaning and bigger picture mean. Did I figure out the Life Question? Did I figure out the my-life question? And how those two meet to co-create the path and story that I have woven? What is the measure of success? A life well-lived?
What about you? Have you had any of the hard-questions ever hit you? The one you know you really don’t have the answer for? The one you use when you have your assessment-moments? What is your tough life-question? Share them in the comments below;)
