“Should you shield the canyons from the windstorms you would never see the true beauty of their carvings.” - Elisabeth Kubler-Ross
There are many "slings and arrows" perceived or actual which engulf our daily lives. There are road incidents of getting cut off while on your way to work. Did you remember or fail to kiss your spouse good-bye? The coffee shop failed to put the cinnamon sprinkle on top of the cream.
Big or small, every slight feels like a thousand cuts.
So what is our natural tendency? It is to slip into a shield of armor. A cold metallic barrier to protect us from all these misfortunate events. We build the wall in an effort to keep out and defend ourselves from any more pain.
Have you ever tried to walk in a suit of armor?
A suit of armor is heavy and very inflexible. To move forward becomes very difficult and cumbersome, in fact it slows you down tremendously. With chain mail gloves, holding that cup of coffee can even be difficult. The armor may protect you from the outside world but it also makes it very hard to truly interact with the outside world.
Let go of the hard shell we create for ourselves.
There will be plenty of cuts and bruises we take throughout life. There are also plenty of band aids, people and relationships you have developed to help heal the wounds inflicted upon us. There are others we share life and its foibles whom we can be with to defend and strengthen ourselves.
The key is in connection, not in shielding ourselves.
By building our connections with other people, a natural shield happens in our life. The strength gained by friends surrounding you will let you overcome anything that comes your way. Note that I did not say the slings and arrows will never happen for they surely will. But the healing comes from the strength of others around you.
Build a shield through connection with others, not with cold metallic armor.
And stay inspired my friends.
