To have peace of mind and contentment is easier when things are going well. But when things are tough, we can feel pushed around violently by our situation. The deeper and more entrenched our peace of mind, the less we are affected by our situation and the troubles in the world. When I say affected, though, I don’t mean that we don’t care; in fact, when bad things happen, we care very deeply. It’s just that we’re able to maintain our peace of mind and contentment through these times — and in such a state, we are best able to contribute positively to this world.
In university I used to go swimming at Burleigh Falls, a set of rapids near Peterborough, ON, and a popular swimming spot. The current was incredibly strong at times, but if you swam deep enough, the current would just pass over you. You could look up and see bubbles and debris swiftly passing above you, while being completely unaffected by the current yourself — a very cool feeling.
Sometimes a chaotic situation around me is very disruptive. But in the case that it is not disruptive at all, I am reminded of the feeling of being beneath the current.
Something to strive for, I guess. Though please be careful when literally or figuratively swimming in rapids.
