Risk
by Anais Nin

And then the day came,

when the risk

to remain tight

in a bud

was more painful

than the risk

it took

to Blossom.

But Migs, Is that what the journey is all about? Find our own weaknesses and seek to strengthen them? Do you remember the Arthurian legend? When I started reading Joseph Campbell, he connected the dots for me with regard to the hero's journey. According to the legend, King Arthur didn't want to hear of your exploits as a knight, he wanted to know of your solitary quest and what your learned. Each knight had to start this quest alone and he had to enter the darkest part of the forest... the part that scared him the most. That's the soul's journey, as far as I am concerned. Find the dark forest and enter. My problem is I see it, and I know what's there, so I walk on by. Sure it's be nice to have a fun life every day, and have everything you ever dreamed of, but the reality is, we are all fragile with a certain measure of ancestral power guiding us and we have to embrace it and keep it, or embrace and change our perception and lead our own lives. That's the Parsifal myth. When do we shed the homespun garment and ask the Grail question? Can we? Can we humble ourselves enough to really take the journey? But this is my struggle. I want to be gracious and caring and thoughtful, but then my mother and my grandmother pop into my head and remind me that I'm not good enough, that I don't meet their standards, that I'm not what they expected... and then the guilt starts. And if I entered the dark forest, my first confrontation would be the guilt... and I don't think I'm strong enough to deal with it..... But as far as the bushido goes, ( I really enjoyed it, by the way) you are welcome to complain to me anytime...

Suzanne