Beware the stories you read or tell; subtly, at night, beneath the waters of consciousness, they are altering your world.
—Ben Okri
How uncanny that I read this today! Last night, I was wide awake for what seemed like an endless night, trying to find the answers to some of the questions that are plaguing me right now. It seemed like sleep was eluding me for a reason and the reason that I finally found my shut-eye time close to 5 am was something that was part of a bigger plan. I’d love to believe that the Universe has been trying to give me plenty of indications over the past couple of weeks.
The month of February unsettled me, left me perplexed and struggling with a lot of emotional entanglements that I have no need for—an unwanted baggage almost. But, i figured out that the reason I went through the turmoil and the ceaseless pondering was primarily because life has been trying to teach me some much-needed life lessons that I wouldn’t learn otherwise. What really matters is the realisation that I’m coming to terms with life all over again, and I dare say, these have been a result of the things that I’ve been reading lately…the thoughts and beliefs that I’ve questioned, as a result of what I’ve said to myself time and again, and therefore, this quote uncannily felt like someone had almost been mind-reading me!
Be it the books we come across, the podcasts and the talks we hear, the stories that suddenly surface out of nowhere, or even the life-altering dilemmas that leave us suspended by a string—nothing in life happens by chance.
There is a strong synchronicity to everything that takes place—even as much as a niggling thought that strikes us out of nowhere is actually a thought planted on purpose. Ever wondered why sometimes its that one single thought keeps nudging and poking us, unsettling and bewildering at times, trying to force a question from within our innermost core—something that we had buried deep down inside our consciousness many moons ago?
Not a mere co-incidence, there, I tell you. It’s all part of a bigger plan. Just that, we are unaware of it at the time, but on hindsight, life reveals the unknown, the unseen and the unthinkable—be it one at a time—leading us to question our intentions, our connections, our purpose and our reason to be!
I’m learning to unravel the layers…one at a time, to understand where I am, in the grand scheme of things.
Someone might call it a mid-life crisis. I call it an awakening—a part of the conscious life that I have chosen for myself—and although this riddle called life hurts and stings at times, it prods us on to keep searching, keep looking for the purpose of being—becoming in a way, the examined life that leads us to being more authentic and intentional, in the end.
A quest of a lifetime, yes, that’s what it is. And if that leads us to the answers we seek, then, why not?
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Friday Reflections is a link-up hosted by Corinne at The Frangipani Creative, Shalini at Kohl Eyed Me and Parul at Happinessandfood, every First Friday of the month, based on the prompts provided by them or as free write. You can find the prompts for this month here.
There are always omens and signs strewn on our path. If we become aware of them in silence we can unravel the mysteries hidden. We are all WIP, unravelling one layer at a time, like an onion.
May you always be at ease and peace, Esha. Love <3
I too feel that everything happens for a purpose and not just coincidence. When we become sick, we re-check our daily habits, diet, research more about the root cause of the problem, try different ways and become knowledgeable to take a good decision on changing lifestyle. Small trigger though uncomfortable might lead to a big change. I believe everything happens for our good and we get better, learn new things and come out of it strong.
Trust the process, Esha. I like to believe that everything is coming together. And when it does come together, we need to be ready for it. Life is strange yet marvelous. Looking back I realize that the times when I was frustrated with life and its lessons actually left me with incredible lessons. It’s coming together. And one day it will make sense sans the frustration.
The road to healing is a long one and many a time it passes through hard-to understand dark dungeons which are necessary for they are meant to cause us to rise. It is really uncanny that you came across that particular quote right at the time when you needed to see it. In this way, it was a message. I am holding you all along the way, Esha.
Oh those thoughts that plague us at night. I wonder what my thoughts are trying to tell me. Right now everything just seems so jumbled.
I understand perfectly what you mean about thoughts and circumstances coming around again and again. I remember reading somewhere that life tries to teach us a lesson and keeps on until we get it.
What I really like is that this loose group of ours is journeying within ourselves, trying to do the best we can and seek wisdom from what life is trying to tell us.
That quote and what you said it true. We tell ourselves what we want to hear. I have been there and too and I know that happens often. Life is strange – with time what was easy becomes hard and what’s hard becomes easy. Thanks for sharing with us Esha and I hope writing helped you put things into perspective.
The quote left me spellbound, Esha! How true! What we tell ourselves about our life, changes us and our world. I am experiencing it every day, in different ways. Sometimes, I wish I had understood this earlier. I would be in a much better space mentally.
Life lessons need to be learned. That’s the bitter truth and there’s no other way of learning those lessons than fighting the battles despite being tired in the mind and body. God knows, Esha, but maybe someday, we may realise our purpose in life through these lessons.
Hugs, my dear!