Wed. May 21 - Just some thoughts on dealing with difficulties/pain in life.  I have been reading Richard Rohr lately and he has some really interesting things to say about the difficult times in life.  Now I know that this particular trip is self-imposed but none-the-less it is introducing some suffering into my life.  It is always important to think about how you will or are responding to the difficult things that life imposes on us.

In some ways this trip is metaphorical.  The pain and physical difficulty that I anticipate (and fear) on this trip is so much like what life does to me (us). 

While I (and maybe you) spend much of my time trying to avoid discomfort the truth is that no one will escape pain, difficulty or suffering in this life.  Sometimes I think I can avoid it if only I can avoid being “bad” or maybe be lucky, or by some cleverness or righteousness avoid it.  NO – it will happen, and to ME (YOU).  Rohr says that all of this is a necessary and even good part of the human journey.

Jesus says that there are only two groups who are very good at trying to deny or avoid this humiliating surprise:  those who are very “rich” and those who are very “religious”. Interesting thought eh?

These “events” in life are our refiners.  It is these “downward” paths that can lead us “up”.  Think about that for a bit.