Among my various personal faults, I strongly dislike uncertainty. Part of me wants things completely predictable, and, if not that, at least knowable. I tend to dislike interruptions and other unexpected surprises. (Maybe that's why I chose a career that looks for causal certainty amidst randomness).As such, I have been enjoying Mark Batterson’s book “In a Pit with a Lion on a Snow Day,” recommended by my self-help-book pusher, Ben Dubow. It's Batterson's meditations on risk, opportunity, and uncertainty. In the chapter on uncertainty, he elaborates on two ideas: 1) uncertainty is sure to happen, so we might as well accept and even embrace it and 2) much of life’s good things come from uncertainty, so we might as well revel in it.
So basically, it’s how to stop worrying and learn to love what can not be expected. Something I very much want/need to learn.
As Batterson writes:
Embrace relational uncertainty; it’s called romance.
Embrace spiritual uncertainty; it’s called mystery.
Embrace occupational uncertainty; it’s called destiny.
Embrace emotional uncertainty; it’s called joy.
Embrace intellectual uncertainty; it’s called revelation.
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1 comment:
Enjoyed reading this post-googled info on Battersons book & it does sound like a good read.
I well understand how life is filled with uncertainty & the need to learn to embrace the unexpected. Nothing is predictable (except in some science experiment and even they can go wrong) nothing is constant-all about growth- To CAP it all in one - EMBRACE CHANGE.
I was fortunate - had great teachers who instilled that sense of acceptance
Your post reminded me of the Peace Prayer of St. Francis-After my parents died, four Roman Catholic nuns became my guardians and they had posters of that prayer up in every room *smile* Now is that brainwashing? *smile*
It's also about choice-we can chose to accept or not and the sooner we learn to make the best choice for ourselves , the sooner we can begin to live a life more fully! I wish you well in learning to embrace lifes uncertainty's-I actually LOVE the mystery of not knowing what will happen. Makes life interesting. Like Forest Gump said, " life is like a box of choc...yadda yadda yadda, i'm sure U know that line)
If you enjoy music check out Sarah McLaughlin singing the Peace Prayer- she does it soooo sooo well!
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