Come What May
I have a new philosophy. At first blush,
I am not one to believe in philosophies. However, I believe in learning lessons
from all that life hands us. I search for words in life lessons:
“When you know better, you do
better.”-Maya Angelou
“I love the person I’ve become, because I
fought to become her.”-Kaci Diane
“Never put the keys to your happiness in
someone else’s pocket.”-unknown
“My religion is very simple. My religion
is kindness.”-Dalai Lama
While I search for meanings in the things
I experience in life, and words to help me in times of need, I am not usually a
person who is prone to looking for-or using-philosophies. Perhaps the philosophies come
to me in the guise of thought. Perhaps thoughts are philosophies.
My new philosophy is simple and yet
amazingly complex at the same time….
“Come what may."
Over the last month I have found myself
saying this phrase several times. The first time I remember recently saying the
phrase was when I was about to have my medical tests done. (You can read about
that experience here....)
A friend of mine questioned why I was having
the testing done. I replied, “Because I want to have a baseline for my doctor,
and I want to know where I stand. If there is something I need to work on, I want
to know about it. Come what may.”
Of course saying the phrase initiates visions
of Ewan McGregor and Nicole Kidman singing this phrase in the movie “Moulin
Rouge”….
Musical numbers aside, I find that I
truly embrace this philosophy. Like any philosophy, it is open to
interpretation.
As I interpret it, the meaning of this phrase is: “Whatever happens happens.” Or, told another way: “Let go and let God.”
As I interpret it, the meaning of this phrase is: “Whatever happens happens.” Or, told another way: “Let go and let God.”
In this way, the
phrase is intrinsically simplistic. Yet it is far more complex than at first
sight.
“Come what may” gives us the opportunity
to let go of the illusion that we are in control. We like this illusion. We like to
believe that we are in control of everything in our lives. This is simply not
the case.
Looking back on my life, I feel that I
have always had this philosophy, to some degree. Let me give you an example. Several years ago,
I applied for a new job within my organization. I liked where I was working and
the people I was working with. Yet, I felt I was in need of a challenge, that I
wanted to learn and do something new.
While I yearned for change, it can be a
scary thing. I weighed the pros and cons and wrestled with the decision to
apply for the job. “Should I apply? This will change my life.” After much soul
searching I applied for the job. I knew that, if I did not get the new job, I had a job
I still liked doing, with co-workers I enjoyed working with, and that I would
be fine whether I got that job or not. Come what may, I had nothing to lose.
Long story short, I did not get that job.
However, I was glad I applied. I got to update my resume, refresh my interview
skills, meet new people within my organization, and I got to learn how another
division within my organization works.
Let me give you another, more recent
example. A year or so into my writing career, I dreamt of becoming a published
author. However, how could I go about it? The thought of compiling my writing
and sending it to publishing companies for their approval was too daunting a task for me to
consider. What if they rejected me? What if they told me my writing was not
good enough? What if I believed their opinion as truth?
As I thought about the options of
becoming a published author, I had a conversation with one of the patrons who
came in my library. One day, a co-worker asked this gentleman what he did for a
living. He replied that he was an author. My co-worker asked him, “Who
published your book?” He replied confidently, “I did.” I remember thinking to
myself, “Really? You can do that?”
It was at that moment I began the long
and arduous journey to form my own publishing company and publish my writing. A
year and a half later, I have published my first e-book….
I will shortly publish the book version.
None of this would have happened without
the inkling of a thought. Come what may, I knew I had to try to make this dream
come true. And, to be truthful, that is all it was at that moment. A dream. But I knew I had to act.
“I should try this. Come what may. What
do I have to lose? It’s not like this will change my life.”
Believe me, it already has.
Believe me, it already has.
I am ready for whatever happens, whatever
lessons I am yet to learn, whatever life has in store for me.
Come what may.
© Esperanza Habla All Rights Reserved
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