Out of the Depths

"Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning." -- The Bible; Psalm 30:5

There are times in my life when everything hurts. This has been one of these times. In these times, the primal pain that arises feels like it will annihilate me, like if I don't somehow alleviate it or escape it I will never emerge from it. That is the story. Lost in the depths of sorrow and suffering. Alone in the depths...

The miracle is that out of the depths of sorrowing and suffering, something emerges. It is never attached to anyone or anything. Nothing external is different. Yet when I am willing to not escape, to not run, to not resist, to not insist... everything shifts. Where there was fear and pain there is peace. Where there was a story of suffering and loss there is now openness and possibility. And as this opening occurs, there is actually joy. How can this be?

The mystery is that out of the depths arises all that is in this world. Out of the darkness of the womb we emerge into this life. Out of the darkness of the earth the seed emerges into the light. And out of the darkness of sorrow we emerge into joy. Thank God.