Go the Distance
‘You are exactly where you need to be right now. Just keep going. Go the distance.’ Despite how things looked at the time, when those words came to me, I breathed a deep sigh of relief. These phrases have reverberated in my head for some time now; a constant reminder to stay the course, keep chipping away, and other similar metaphors about persistence.
When we set out on a journey, or choose an intention, including getting through a difficult time, we set the wheels in motion. We begin a process. Whether or not we have a clear picture of how that might pan out, we are nonetheless limited by what is occurring in the now with little or no idea what will be expected of us along the way. That, I think, is a merciful thing! How often, when you’ve gone through the ring of fire have you thought… ‘If I’d known what it was going to take to get here, I wouldn’t even have taken the first step.’?
Day by day, we experience life down on the ground, so to speak, and we cannot know from that position what the bigger picture is. It is only by stepping outside, getting above the details, and noticing what’s going on around us, that we can witness a different vantage point and see new possibilities for ourselves and life. Only from there can we entertain the idea that the pieces that don’t currently make sense or fit our pictures, actually have a purpose. This is what it means to trust our process, the process of life and of living.
We are each here contributing to the bigger picture of the life that is unfolding around us, frequently the impact of which is unknown. This is why we must follow the path that has called us forth all the way; why we must go the distance. Regret and remorse so often consume people who give up, are short-sighted, or forget the purpose of their journey.
The ideas or map we have for our lives give us direction and determine the path we’ll follow. But, just as the course of nature or evolution necessitates changes to a map over time, so too will our ideas for the future be impacted by events, circumstances and desires we could not possibly have been aware of at the time we first defined them. Then our job is to adjust our plan and willingly go in the direction life is taking us.
In this way, we make the best of all worlds; the idea, the experience, and where we fit in the big picture. When we are willing to let go of our attachment to our pictures, we step into the realm of being of service. We realise that no matter how grand, they can only ever be the little picture because they’re our picture alone. Then, even though there will still be work to be done, because we are aligned with something greater than ourselves, the struggle and resistance drop away, as if we were being carried on Angels’ wings. When we understand that the abilities and talents we’ve been gifted with are our contribution to the world, then we are free to fulfil the destiny that life holds for us that is for the greater good.
Each day we can do that which is before us with an intention that it serve not only our personal desires but also those which humanity itself desires. In that way, everybody wins. And without it, perhaps no one does!
Inner Sense No. 32 | November 2012 – updated June 2019
Breaking the patterns which stop us from going all the way can be difficult at times!
Assisting people to remove the blocks to success, identify the steps to the achievement of their goals, and staying calm and centred to get there, are all available through the Services I offer.
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Thanks for sharing!
