1. Life is hard.
2. You are not that important.
3. Your life is not about you.
4. You are not in control.
5. You are going to die.
I read a book a few years back that deconstructed me in the most wonderful way. You see, I often find myself arguing with life. I have expectations for this life that often go unmet. I attribute most of my anxiety, stress, and fear to the time I spend worrying about life and the way it could, or has played out (the unpredictable future and unchangeable past).
Father Richard Rohr in his Book "Adam's Return" presents what he calls the 5 essential truths. These are truths, if we chose to pursue them, can help us live in a much different, more peaceful way.
Warning: These truths are the kind that take years to accept which is why I used the word pursue above. Here are Rohr's 5 essential truths:
1. Life is hard.
2. You are not that important.
3. Your life is not about you.
4. You are not in control.
5. You are going to die.
If you think about it, these are all deeply true. However, these are all also items we struggle to accept or make peace with.
I can't tell you how many times a day I fight to try to control others, or even my own life path. I still struggle to accept that life and growth are hard. I spend most days desiring life to be easy and I am surprised every time it isn't. And on a much deeper level, accepting my mortality is unusually complex considering I live in a world where no one has yet conquered it in our history.
So, Rohr talks about the process and journey of accepting these simple truths. I like to fight, acceptance sounds like quitting. But lately, acceptance sounds less like quitting and more like grounding myself in the truth. It sounds like peace.
So, I am seeking to be more accepting of the truths of this life.
If you, or a friend you know is interested in this...feel free to pass along my information.
Rohr, R., & Lonneman, J. (2016). Adam's return: The Five promises of male initiation. Crossroad Publishing Company.
