Embracing your Vulnerability

By Wanda Lawson

When you love someone, you open yourself up to endless possibilities. Some of these we would rather not experience though, but most of us survive.

Loving others can be challenging and there are some who have chosen to close their hearts to love rather than allow vulnerability in our lives.

As a parent, have you sacrificed for your children? Most of us have. And these children have not a clue because it was not required for them to know every detail of every move you made or every decision you made for their benefit.

Were we perfect with our choices? Not by a long shot, how could we be in this world such as it is? I look back to my early years as I grew from innocence as a baby to a small child and then into a “know it all” as I entered my teen and young adulthood years.

As I approach my autumn years, I found I did not know it all and never will. There is no “re-do” for parents and your only solace is knowing that when your children have their children, somehow…they will understand.

No amount of explanations will take back any damage that was done. No words can describe your regrets. For those who say they have no regrets, this is sad because regretting a choice made for the good of all that didn’t turn out quiet like was expected is simply a lesson in expectations.

In addition, how does one know when a choice is made that all will be fine? When you live by faith rather than expectations, does this make a difference?

Only each one of us has the answer. And why? Because each one of us has lived our own experiences, our own choices, and our own path. There is none that is “better” than another is.

One of the biggest mistakes I believe our society has made is with competition…be better, be stronger, be prettier, be smarter, be faster, be the best, etc.

We are all made from the same basic recipe. Where the differences come in is our respective cultures, societies, environments, etc. Beliefs and morals play a huge part also.

I have always desired a simple life, but was detoured along the way as I was caught up in the details of all that was. I have since learned that everything is as it is because of so many vast personalities and the freedom to choose we all possess.

Acceptance of these two principles and allowing the natural flow of nature to take place has simplified my life very much. Does the dark side of life with its heartbreaks, sadness, regrets, misunderstandings, conflict, teardrops, pain, etc disappear with simplicity?

Not in the least. They will always exist. They are a part of the natural flow of all that is because many times it has been said that without the darkness we would not experience the lightness…yin/yang…black/white…etc. Makes sense to me.

The simplified life is one of acceptance, allowing, and awareness. When simplicity is chosen, these three awaken within…all are already present.

In conclusion, when you love someone, you open up to vulnerability and leave fear behind. When vulnerability is allowed, a person is open to all that is, the dark and the light.

Within this vulnerability lies hope, chances, spontaneity, serendipity, trust, synchronicity, changes, new adventures, different paths, the lack of tunnel vision, open mindedness, and of course their opposites.

People who find themselves in “ruts” have chosen to ignore their vulnerability and stay within their comfort zones.

I humbly embrace my vulnerability rather than follow the words that were spoken to me for many years of being told I was “too naïve” and “too spontaneous”. This has contributed to being able to acknowledge and accept my true self today.

As we continue to experience all that life offers us, I will leave you with this one last thought:

Attain the ultimate emptiness Hold on to the truest tranquility The myriad things are all active I therefore watch their return

Everything flourishes; each returns to its root Returning to the root is called tranquility Tranquility is called returning to one’s nature Returning to one’s nature is called constancy Knowing constancy is called clarity

Not knowing constancy, one recklessly causes trouble Knowing constancy is acceptance Acceptance is impartiality Impartiality is sovereign Sovereign is Heaven Heaven is Tao Tao is eternal The self is no more, without danger

~  www.Taoism.net and Tao Te Ching: Annotated & Explained, published by SkyLight Paths in 2006 . ~  Understanding this…becomes a simple truth Peace of “I”

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