By the time we hit this labyrinth, we were about halfway through our road trip. The labyrinth at St. John’s was my 8th labyrinth walk (out of 17) on our ten day road trip.
While most of the labyrinths on this trip seem to have been the Chartres pattern, all had a distinct ‘vibe’ and energy all their own. I enjoyed the feeling of wide open space here, and the multiple labyrinths in and around Tulsa are part of what continues to draw me back. Never in a million years before this trip did I consider Tulsa as a destination to visit. Now, I am trying to discern if this is where I am being called. Our trip and my brief time there continues to impact me and I can’t help but think I will be drawn back there.
12/6/2021, 10:30 am
St. John’s Episcopal Church
Tulsa, OK
You will stumble, but keep moving forward
Setbacks, stumbling blocks and mishaps are part of life. Expect them, accept them (as part of the process) and then keep moving forward.
Above all else, ‘persevere‘!
The best way out is always through.
You are still connected, and your paths will cross again, but you may arrive at the same destination at different times.
One person’s journey is not the same as another’s. You may be on separate paths to the same destination.
This was definitely a ‘personalized’ message to me, reminding me that even when I think ties have been cut, we often remain connected to people. Our journey together, though interrupted, is not finished.
I’ve always been reluctant to close doors. Even when I do, the door is not necessarily closed forever. “Never say never.“
Suffering is part of the process and cannot be hurried.
Let’s be real: Suffering is part of life.
And it goes without saying- suffering is not fun.
However, in the right circumstances (and mindset), suffering can serve a purpose.
It can make us more resilient, and help us build endurance during times of struggle, pushing us beyond our comfort zones. This (painful) growth helps us develop character (hopefully the good kind).
As cliche as it sounds, “No pain, no gain”.
It will take as long as it takes for us to learn the lessons, process the emotions and grow through the struggle.
2 Comments
I wish I could find the peace and insight you glean from labyrinths in some facet of my own life. The only pushback I would note re your post is that I think pain is an inevitable part of life, but I do not see the value in suffering, or that we have to accept that it is. Lessons can still be learned and taken from painful events, but accepting that suffering is necessary in life puts us in a a mindset (mentally and emotionally) that perhaps it is beneficial. I am not unique in having suffered in life – I know that many, if not all, of us have suffered. And any person being forced to live in that space would never wish it on another. To be clear, I am not stating that is what YOU are wishing for anyone. I just think we should love and support our friends in painful moments with the hope that they never have to get to the suffering part without thinking we are robbing them of some lesson suffering might lend.