Embracing the paradox

I’m sitting outside on an unusually rainy morning. My house has a lovely covered outside area with a couch where I often write these emails. Sweet Pea is next to me, I’m in socks and sweatpants. This is as winter as it gets on Maui. It is scrumptious.

My house is my house until January 31st, and then it will be someone else’s.
I’m sitting with that.

Sometimes, we think of things as being one way or another—good or bad, right or wrong, wonderful or terrible, happy or sad, easy or hard.

But life is much too complex for such limitations. Time and time again, I am reminded that life is a constant series of yes and __.

It can be hard and welcomed.
It can be sad and necessary.
It can be painful and uplifting.
We can miss something and be relieved it’s gone.
We can be uncertain and confident.
We can be frightened and fearless.

When we dig our heels into the ground, grasping onto one way of thinking or feeling about something (or someone), we miss out on all the richness paradox offers.

I will miss my house. And I know it’s time to move on. Both are true.
I have happy memories here. And unpleasant ones. Both are true.
It will be hard to leave. And I want to leave. Both are true.

Situations, people, and even ourselves are never one way or another. Things are not binary or black and white. We live in a messy, complicated, devastating, beautiful, wondrous, magical, inspiring, scary, lovely world. And I don’t know about you, but I have yet to receive a how-to manual.

If you’re feeling stuck in binary thinking, ask yourself: What else is true?

With that one little question, the whole world opens up.

What else is true?

Molly