Every personal journey is a kaleidoscope of human expression. Along the long and winding road, we will inevitably encounter both joy and adversity that has the potential to alchemise into the best aspects of our character and fortify us with resilience and compassion.

Every life is precious and worthy of a helping hand when times are tough. Or at least when we are so identified with the suffering that we entrap ourselves in a vicious pain cycle that the mind is always too willing to justify.

When I hear my mind starting up its victim and justification monologue, I have a ritual. I’ve done it for so long now that fortunately, I don’t have to wallow in the paralysing victim-mentality for too long.

To start, I always thank my mind for all the wonderful ways in which it tries to protect me (or more truthfully the much younger me). Then I say perhaps there’s another solution that we haven’t considered yet that might be more effective and practical. Then I bring out the ironic pièce de résistance, Mary Oliver’s wonderful poem, The Journey.

I love how the first line of this poem reminds me that I must take immediate action. I need to ignore my ‘bad voices’ and push on ‘determined to save the only life that [I] could save’ – my own life. It’s a poem that does not ignore that there is work to be done, that there are obstacles, but we must be brave and take that first step so we can come home to the grace of flow and the acceptance of the now.

This poem always reminds me to do the only thing I can do…

‘The Journey’ by Mary Oliver

One day you finally knew
what you had to do, and began,
though the voices around you
kept shouting
their bad advice –
though the whole house
began to tremble
and you felt the old tug
at your ankles.
“Mend my life!”
each voice cried.
But you didn’t stop.
You knew what you had to do,
though the wind pried
with its stiff fingers
at the very foundations,
though their melancholy
was terrible.
It was already late
enough, and a wild night,
and the road full of fallen
branches and stones.
But little by little,
as you left their voices behind,
the stars began to burn
through the sheets of clouds,
and there was a new voice
which you slowly
recognized as your own,
that kept you company
as you strode deeper and deeper
into the world,
determined to do
the only thing you could do –
determined to save
the only life you could save.

~

Let us know in the comments below how this poem moves you, and feel free to share your own rituals for remembering you have all that you need for this divine, mysterious journey.

Much love and support to you always.

Team UPLIFT