NUGGETS OF THE NEW THOUGHT/PART 23
LIFE.
There is in each of us a potential Something for expression—The
Something Within—The plant of life—No use trying to repress it, for develop it
must—Life has a meaning—Growth, development and unfoldment—The lesson of life.
There is
in each of us a potential Something, pressing forth for expression and growth
in the direction of ultimate Good—casting off sheath after sheath in its
progressive development and unfoldment—impelled by the impulse imparted by the
Primal Cause—attracted upward by the Absolute.
Failing to
understand this impulse of the growing Something—seeking relief from its steady
pressure—we look upon it as an intruder, and instead of allowing it to develop
and grow naturally, we endeavor to kill it, or to train its growth after our
own petty notions. We fail to see that this Something is like unto the plant
which grows on steadily and surely, from seed to blossom, until its
potentialities are fully expressed. We do not realize that this Plant of Life
should be allowed to grow as does the lily, freely and without restraint,
unfolding leaf after leaf, until the plant stands in its complete beauty,
crowned with its divine flower.
We would
train the plant into some fantastic shape—dwarf it as the Chinese do the oak,
that it may become the pretty ornament of the parlor instead of the noble
monarch of the forest. We would have it grow our way, not according
to the law of its being. We fancy that we know what is best for it, losing
sight of the fact that deep down in the subconscious depths of its being
reposes that which directs its every effort toward the Good—forgetting that its
attraction toward the Absolute is drawing it steadily and irresistibly in the
right direction. We forget that the plant will fulfill these impulses so long
as there remains in it one atom of life. The seed in the ground will express
itself in its little shoot, often moving weights a thousand times heavier than
itself in its efforts to reach the rays of the sun. The sapling may be bent and
confined to the ground, but its branches, following the laws of its being will
instinctively shoot upward. Restrict the growth of the plant, if you can, but,
nevertheless, it will move along the lines of least resistance and grow toward
the sun, in spite of your efforts.
And so it
is with the Plant of Life—the Something within us. We are afraid to allow it to
grow according to the laws of its being, but wish to model it and shape it in
accordance with the theories of ourselves or others (more frequently the
latter, for most of our ideas on the subject are borrowed). We seem to imagine
that the Intelligence that thought the plant into existence did not understand
its business, and we are afraid that without the assistance of our mighty
intellect the poor thing will grow into a misshapen and unsightly thing. We
would alter the shape designed by its Maker, and would twist it into the form
approved of by the passing fashion of the hour. We would substitute for the
beauty and symmetry of Nature, our own fantastic ideas of form.
But, like
the plant, this Something of ours will not submit to the confining bonds—will
not conform to the false standards which we would set up for it. Submitting as
long as it must, it stores up reserve strength day by day and keeps up a
continuous steady pressure in the direction of its desire, and some day, by a
supreme effort, it throws off the interfering obstacles, and, obeying the laws
of its being, again grows toward the Sun.
Life is
growth. It moves along, pressing this way and that way, along the lines of
least resistance, drawing to itself that which it needs for its complete
expression and growth, using this thing and that thing to-day, and discarding
them to-morrow, after they have served their purpose—after their helpful
qualities have been extracted. It assumes many forms in its growth, discarding
sheath after sheath as outgrown. Any attempt to compel it to retain a sheath,
which has become outgrown, will cause its life nature to revolt, and, in the
end, with a mighty effort, it will burst forth, tearing the confining sheath
into fragments. This Something may be restrained temporarily, but its growth is
as sure as the rising of to-morrow's sun, and its attempted restraint only
results, in the end, in a violent assertion of its right to unfold and develop
according to Law.
When we
finally come to realize that Life has a meaning—that we are here for a
purpose—that the process of spiritual evolution is being expressed in us and
through us—that our growth is in accordance with Law—that the Absolute
understands its business—then will we cease to attempt to meddle with the Great
Plan. We will then cease our futile efforts to mold to our absurd and arbitrary
shapes that which is intended to grow in the beautiful form of Nature's
designing. We will realize that the power which called into being this Life of
ours, knew just what it was about—that this Power placed within that Life the
energy which is expressing itself in changing form and color, but which has but
one real object—growth toward the sun, and when we realize this truth we will
begin to have Faith, and will trust the Law to do that which is best to be
done—will realize the folly of imagining that the weight of the Universe rests
upon our shoulders. Some of these days we will awaken to the fact that ours is
the conceit of the fly resting upon the mighty revolving wheel, imagining that
the fanning of his wings causes the wheel to revolve. Some of these times the
fly, tired with its exertions, will stop to rest for a few moments, when it
will find that the wheel continues to revolve quite well, thank you, without
its active assistance. We have been taking our little selves quite seriously,
indeed. The Something within is moving steadily and surely toward its goal, and
much of the pain of life comes to us by reason of our efforts to restrict
it—our efforts to change its motion, direction, speed. It is a mighty aid to
those who understand and move along with it—but woe unto those who get in its
way and endeavor to obstruct its progress. If unobstructed, there is no
friction—if interfered with it manifests friction, which means pain.
This pain
is the notice given us by the Law to the effect that we are obstructing the
growth of the Life Plant, and, if we are wise, we will heed the warning. By
conforming to the growth we will find that there is little or no friction, and
life begins to take on new pleasures. By co-operating with the Law, and moving
along with it, we will find that things will "come our way" in a most
unexpected manner. The Law is a good friend and helper, and is of the greatest
assistance to us, if we but trust it to do its work well, in its own good way.
We can use its growing force to aid us in our daily pursuits, if we will trust
it and move along with it, but we must heed the first sign of friction and
understand that we are in some way interfering with its natural growth. By
living in accordance with the Law, instead of attempting to oppose it, we will
find that we are guided in the direction of places, people and occupations best
suited to develop us and to impart to us the experience needed to round out our
lives. A realization of this fact by those who have experienced it, has given
rise to the saying "nothing ever happens." We find the
teachers and helpers that we require, and they find us. If we need certain
information, we will find it in some person or book, and will thus be placed
upon the track of that which we seek.
The Law
will sometimes accomplish its results in ways far different from that which we
would have supposed to be the best, but after time has passed we can look back
and will see that the way by which the results were accomplished was the best
possible under all the circumstances. We may meet with some bitter
disappointments, losses, sorrows, but in the end these things will be seen as
good—will be seen as having been necessary to give us the experience needed—to
round out our characters—to enable us to understand.
There are
none who would be willing to part with the experience gained from even the most
painful events of their lives. After, say, ten years have elapsed no man would
be willing to have the memory and recollection of his greatest pain eradicated;
if at the same time he would have to part with the experience and knowledge
which have come to him by reason of that pain. The pain and its resulting
experience have become a part of us, and we are not willing to be robbed of our
own.
And we
will realize, in looking backward, that if we had been living in accordance
with the Law in the past—if we had understood its workings—these very sorrows,
disappointments, losses, would have been considered only in view of their
ultimate good, and the very sting of the pain would thus have been removed.
When we learn to regard the pain of to-day as we now do the pain of ten years
ago, we may feel that we are beginning to understand something of the operation
of the Law of Good. And when we reach this stage, we will find that the pain is
no longer pain, but only a form of Good. When we cease to cause
friction, friction no longer exists for us.
The
lessons of life must be learned, sooner or later. It depends
upon us whether they shall be forced upon us, in spite of our resistance, with
much pain, or accepted by us, understandingly, with knowledge. In one case we
will have the pain which comes from opposing the Law; in the other, we will
learn the lesson equally well, without the pain of the birching. The lesson
must be well learned in either case. Choose your method.
Now, I do
not wish to be understood as meaning that we should simply fold our hands and
wait for the Law to bring all things to us without any labor on our part. Try
this way, though, if you like, and see how quickly the Law will rap you over
the knuckles to remind you that a task is set before you. The proper way is to
take up the task that lies nearest your hand (and some task is always there)
and do it well, with the knowledge that the task has been placed there in
accordance with the Law. If the task is not to your liking, you will know that
that is the very reason that it has been placed before you—you have a lesson to
learn from it. When the time comes for a change you will find a strong desire
for a something else full-grown within you. Now is your chance. Trust to the
Law to aid you in working out your desire. The desire is there in accordance
with the Law—its very existence is a promise of its fulfillment. With the aid
of the Law you will work out your desire. It is true that when you attain the
object of your desire, it may not be just what you had thought it—may not be at
all what you want. Well, what of that? You have learned the necessary
lesson—have lived out the desire and will now outlive it. Something else will
take its place. And you will be surprised at the way that Law
has brought about the accomplishment of your desire. You will learn another
lesson in this.
When you
have learned to work on, merrily—doing your best—living out each day's
life—with Faith and Trust, Confidence and Fearlessness—accepting the
development of each day as meaning ultimate Good—seeing and feeling that
the Law of Good is in full operation—being willing to accept whatever it may
bring you—then, and not until then, good friend, will you begin to know what is
LIFE.
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