Learn by Paradox

Each year I try to choose a theme for my life. I’m not into New Year’s Resolutions, but I’m a planner who likes to have purpose. Pretty ironic for a wanderer breaching on creating space for detours, but that’s where I am.

THIS YEAR’S THEME.

Let me learn by paradox. 

Inside a small, black leather bound Puritan prayer book, there is a poem titled, The Valley of Vision.

A portion of it reads.

Let me learn by paradox

that the way down is the way up,

that to be low is to be high, 

that the broken heart is the healed heart,

that the contrite spirit is the rejoicing spirit,

that the repenting soul is the victorious soul,

that to have nothing is to possess all, 

that to bear the cross is to wear the crown,

that to give is to receive,

that the valley is the place of vision. 

The spiritual paradoxes throughout life can stump us or enlighten us. I take the latter perspective. My prayer through the course of writing is to glean from life’s paradoxical lessons for the enrichment of souls including my own.

(Photo: A view through the gates to Great Wall of China in Ningxia, China. In the desert the lost can find their way.)