Within Us

Sources of inner strength and courage are often subjects of periodic news stories that we “Ahhh” about but then return to our drained feelings and the day ahead of us. “That’s those people,” we may mutter to ourselves.

Bad news is delivered to us and we feel void of everything human. Suddenly there is no past or future, just the news that slowly digests itself into our minds and hearts. (And, we only want to spit it out but are unable to do so.)

Job lost, diagnosis given, friend’s lament, child’s woe, neighbor’s concern, an event in one corner of the world.

Fourteen thoughts that you thought could never enter nor fit in your head at one time, all occur at once. And, those fourteen thoughts linger and decide to take up residence in your head, as well.

The solutions to our malaise is so abundant these days that it is almost greater than the new guests now living in our heads. All the time, throughout our whole lives, a reservoir of all that we need to regain balance, perspective and calm resides within us.

We thought that we needed to suffer more before endurance would be there to help us. We assumed that more calamity needed to occur in our lives before an inner strength surfaced within us. But there they all are. These strange but familiar friends: courage, strength, perseverance, perspective and the strangest but most familiar of all, patience.

I like the “fire extinguisher image.” You know where it is located and what it is for but you hope that you never need to break the glass and use it. However, once the glass is broken all these friends come barreling out to protect, safeguard and ensure that you see through whatever crisis, tragedy or unbearable situation faces you.

The supply is ample. It is naturally fed each day from the heavens. Its source can be whatever you wish it to be. And, it is yours to guard and keep. After all, it came from within you.