I recognize the title of my soon to be released book, All Is Well may lead some of you to raise an eyebrow and wonder what planet I have been living on. Not only is our country in crisis, along with much of the planet, but this book in its original form, was created as a gift for Michael Schwass, who has his share of difficulties related to his quadriplegia.
Do I really believe "All Is Well?"
Yes. I do. But I want you to understand how I mean that. The following is an excerpt from a very long post. This section speaks to how I and others of my philosophical/spiritual inclinations are able to say "All is well" with great sincerity:
What we mean is not that the situation in question will turn out well in the worldly sense but that we are still growing as a result of it; that the lessons are still coming and we are still evolving as a result. We have a fundamental belief that nothing is wasted, even if we can't catch it all right away, and that we cannot fail in the ultimate development of our character if we continue to show up and be engaged with our "lesson plan". We have an undying faith in ourselves and the inherent value of our lives, no matter how small the scale of our impact. We see ourselves acting in collaboration with life. As the Indigo Girls sing in "Virginia Wolf", we believe, "Each life has its place." Therefore the conversation we have with life is ultimately a benevolent one even if it involves great suffering in the worldly sense.
This is an extremely difficult concept for many to understand and certainly not one that our culture provides guidance with as a whole. And yet, for those who can grasp it and learn to actively engage with life in this way, it is possible to cultivate qualities that often mystify those who suffer less in the worldy sense but are plagued by doubt and dissatisfaction with life.
That one can suffer and yet be playful and buoyant is a paradox that we will explore throughout the writings here as we take a spin around this Grand Kaleidoscope of Life.
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