Accept —Then Act…
“Accept — then act. Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” —Eckhart Tolle
Sometimes burying our head in the sand is a life-sustaining requirement in the moment. Sometimes we need to leap over barriers that stand in the way. And other times we need to take a deep breath, face the current reality, and accept a detour or change in plans is needed.
But we can only make the wise decision to accept what is in front of us, if we’re willing to pause long enough to truly pay attention and be in the present moment.
In times when we dread checking the news of the day, opening a text message from them, or taking that call, it takes courage to be present. And even more courage to pause long enough to take in and accept what we’ve just heard or seen before we take action.
“We must accept finite disappointment but never lose infinite hope.” ― Martin Luther King, Jr.
Nourishing our heart and soul with “infinite hope,” loving connections, and healing moments of laughter or joy can give us the courage to be present to what’s unfolding in our life and in our world.
What gives you the courage to accept any “finite disappointment” in front of you and then take courageous action? What helps you be led forward by infinite hope rather than spiral down into despair?
May you be blessed with infinite reasons to stay hopeful, the courage to be present no matter what is in front of you, and the awareness that unseen support is there to guide you.
Take good care.
Let Reality Be Reality
“Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don’t resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like.”
—Lao Tzu
Peace is Found Here
“Peace is not the end of the mundane, troublesome, and painful moments of life. Peace is found in the midst of the mundane, troublesome, and painful moments of life as we look for the good in all things, grasp tiny moments of joy glittering in the darkness, and gather hope into a soft place to rest when life grows hard and our spirit grows weary in the journey.”
―L.R. Knost
THE MAPLES
I asked the stand of maples behind the house,
How should I live my life?
They said, shhh shhh shhh…
How should I live, I asked, and the leaves seemed to ripple and gleam.
A bird called from a branch in its own tongue,
And from a branch, across the yard, another bird answered.
A squirrel scrambled up a trunk
then along the length of a branch.
Stand still, I thought,
See how long you can bear that.
Try to stand still, if only for a few moments,
drinking light breathing
―Marie Howe, New and Selected Poems, W. W. Norton 2024. 2025 Pulitzer Prize Winner for Poetry! Listen to this poem spoken aloud (YouTube).
Thank you, Cathey Capers, for sharing this gem!
