Surrender or Suffer

#NoteToSelf 16.

Sometimes life gives us the “sweet” and other times it gives us the “sour”. Sometimes we feel like we can own the world, and other times, it seems as if the world is owning us. Life brings us a wide variety of emotions; from love to fear – and everything in between. Life has its polarities, its opposites, and it forms an amazing and divine dichotomy. In the midst of the ride, in between the flows of energies, I used to often wonder why.

I used to wonder why things happen the way they do. I used to wonder why some have abundance and others are in misery. I used to wonder why some are “lucky” and others not. I used to wonder why the “good”, the “bad” – and everything in between. Questioning usually brings answers. In my case, the answer was simple: it is what it is.

Sometimes things happen that we cannot control. Life becomes unpredictable. You lose control. Here is where we must decide to either surrender or suffer. We are constantly choosing to either surrender to the flow of life and let go of disappointments, or suffer because we cannot accept what is happening either in our lives, the lives of others, or this world.

In the Note To Self before this one, I wrote that pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional. We cannot avoid pain. We cannot avoid the emotions that come with pain. But how do you remain seated in Peace in the midst of pain? How can you avoid suffering when everything around you is crumbling? How can you be light- and give light through the darkness that pain can bring? Surrender or suffer.

Acceptance has taught me that suffering is unnecessary. Experience has shown me that holding on to the pain makes it suffering. Suffering is pain lost in thought.

Thinking thoughts that won’t change things, overanalyzing what is already set and said, resenting old decisions, and resisting life as it unfolds before your eyes – all of it is exhaustive. Constantly wondering ‘Why’ and not being able to accept things that are not in your control anymore brings more suffering than anything. Surrender or suffer.

Live with an open heart. Feel every humane emotion. Let it all be. Embrace life as it unfolds. Accept what you can’t control. Don’t hold on to anything. Not the past, nor the future. For one has already passed and the other is not there yet. Deal with life as it comes to you. Surrender or suffer.