Marianne Williamson is a spiritual teacher who has written a number of books, providing wisdom on how best we can live our lives. In her book, ‘Tears to Triumph’, she touches upon the suffering one experiences and how healing is a necessity to deal with depression, relational trauma and grief.
“Our civilisation has an immature and neurotic obsession with always trying to be happy. And yet sometimes it is through having cried our tears that we can see our blessings. In the words of Ernest Hemingway, “The world breaks everyone, and afterward, many are strong at the broken places.” The real question, for anyone who suffers, is whether we want to be one of those who are strengthened by the experience.”
My reflection
I believe in this day in age, it doesn’t require a lot of effort to feel ‘happy’. I personally find it hard to recognise my own suffering given the amount of pressure to work and make a living. If anything, it is the bittersweet nature of my happiness that resonates with everyone else who are also trying hard to be happy. I think this is what makes humanity rather endearing. However, it is good to cry. It is good to be in our own space, so we could address the sadness we suppress rooted in our souls. To achieve balance, I personally share my thoughts and feelings with someone I trust…that in itself is healing.
She goes on to say …
“It’s a psychological art for, mastering the balance between permitting ourselves to honour our suffering and making a simultaneous commitment to surviving the experience. To say, “I know this is a terrible time. But it is not without meaning, and I am committed to finding out what meaning is. I am committed to opening myself to the lessons to be learned here.” And the lesson is always, in some way, the expansion of our capacity to love.
My reflection
Our capacity to love. Our capacity to love our selves, and others. I’d like to think we all have a closed book inside of us enclosed with hardships we avoid to acknowledge. However, once it is opened, and we commit ourselves to finding the meaning behind our suffering thus simultaneously surviving the experience, then this will make us feel stronger. When I go through tough times, I somewhat become more self aware of my thoughts and gain something from the experience.
Miranda meanders 