The Surrendered Scribe

‘Thoughts to the Wind’ by Rosie Anne

We are all authors, writing the story of our lives.  Some of us chew on each word, cherishing its flavor before committing it to paper.  Others jump forward paragraphs or even chapters at a time, crafting the arc and less concerned with the writing.  Regardless of which approach we each take, there is one thing that we accept as an unwavering truth: if you want to have a great story, you have to work at it.

This understanding seems to clash with the spiritual ideals we hear so much about.  On one hand we know that good things come to those who work for it, but we also feel an instinctive nod to the idea of letting go and letting God.   So which is it?  Are we the authors of our own stories; does it all come down to how many words we write each day?  Or are we really just reading what has already been written and tirelessly trying to pull the pen from the real author’s hand?

The answer is none of the above.  We are the authors of our own fate but we also have a way of getting so lost in the mechanics, so focused on forming letters, that we forget how to write.  Our lives are works of art; they are meant to be passionate, purposeful creations that are as pleasing to craft as they are to reflect upon.  But what we often forget is that art requires a careful balancing act between labor and leisure, between sense and soul.   While complacency will not lend to a very satisfying story; single-mindedness doesn’t allow for much joy in reading it.

We are the masters of our realities; our lives are more about what we do than what we are given.  But we also tend to be kind of short-sighted.  We see what’s right in front of us but not what’s farther off in the distance, hiding beyond our peripheral, or invisible to the naked eye.  This is where trusting God comes into play.  In the realm of spirit, all variables are known, all outcomes already explored, and the most perfect path is already laid out.  This is not to say that our hard work is for naught.  It is a necessary part of the journey, but it’s not the only part.  Often times, our hard work is what takes us just far enough that we are forced to realize that there is something more, something beyond just the blood, sweat, and tears of it all.

An amazing thing happens when we start learning how to balance our corporeal discipline with our spiritual devotion; we start to align and harmonize with something greater than ourselves.  And through this alignment, what we desire begins to come easier.  We don’t have to work quite as hard at it.   So when we hear spiritual teachers tell us that we need to let go, it doesn’t mean that we aren’t meant to work for what we want.  It just means that we should try letting go of such a strict definition of what that want is.  Sometimes doing this is more difficult than all the hard labor we could throw at ourselves; but the results also far exceed those we could anticipate coming from that hard labor.

So take control of your story and treat each day like the blank page that it is.  But also remember that there is far more to it than what you can see alone.  Be flexible enough to let yourself be surprised; allow for the occasional plot twist.  If you can do this, then maybe the words will come just a little bit easier from here on out.

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