Sunday, August 15, 2021

Learning the lesson (again)


"Actual reality is the only place where actual joy is to be found. If joy is delayed until a preferred future comes about, we set ourselves up for despair. But if there is hope in THIS day. Joy in THIS reality. This life. This body. This heart, then certainly we can prevail."

This quote led me to an article by Nadia Bolz-Weber, who describes herself as "Foul-mouthed for a preacher, grammatically challenged for a bestselling author, surprisingly hopeful for a cynic." Read the rest of her article containing the above quote, which was inspired by living through the pandemic but pertains to lots of situations, here.


One more quote from it:
...The “Stockdale Paradox” is the ability to hold two opposing but equally true things at once:

You must have faith that you will prevail in the end

And at the same time you must confront the brutal facts of your current reality.

On another topic, but also the same topic: Sending love, as always, to Haiti

3 comments:

Robyn Hood Black said...

Wow, Tabatha - thank you for introducing me to this startling and sparkling voice! And, I've missed you! Finally trying to light near my favorite blogs after flittering around all summer with our busy-ness over here. I've been out of many loops and glad to be circling back a bit. Hugs to you and yours - hope you find some nugget of joy today, and tomorrow, too. ;0)

Tabatha said...

Yay, you're back! You have had such a busy summer! I wish we could have dinner to discuss what-all you've been doing. :)

HWY said...

Fascinating writer with blunt but truthful things to say.

Even if the subject isn't Covid, this nugget of hers rings true:

"I am just once again aware of how much my mental health depends on accepting reality. Not endorsing it, but accepting it."