Speaking words of wisdom

I have this friend in Texas who has an uncanny knack of asking me very searching questions that I have to dig very deeply within myself to come up with reasonable answers. This, in part, is a letter that I wrote to her in reply to some of those questions. I thought you might find it interesting.


> When we are young, everything seems to be in much more defined shades of
> black & white. Some sort of faith was a lot easier to maintain because
> we had so little experience with life & it was easy to believe. Its not
> , I don't think, until life kicks us around a little that we start to
> realize that gray & beige are legitimate colors as well. You speak of
> wisdom. I have found out that there is a point where no matter how well
> reasoned your logic & choice of faith is, there is a point where you
> have to let go & step in to the very strong currents of the river of
> life & trust that it will carry you to where you need to be. I think at
> this point that it's still possible to maintain your beliefs, but you
> have to acknowledge that no matter how well defined you think that life
> is, there are still undercurrents that will pull you off your perceived
> course & set you on a new path. I think that this is something that
> happens to us all to a greater or lesser degree, & even though we may
> perceive our burdens as being heavier or lighter than another has to
> carry, they are still burdens none the less & are just as real &
> important to all. Perhaps challenges would be a better way of referring
> to them.
>
> There comes a time in your life when your beliefs are challenged head
> on by events & you start to seriously question your values & can't see
> how this particular challenge slots in with what you believe. This is
> the point where belief becomes faith. If you can progress beyond this
> point, life does get easier. Personally, I think I am right on the cusp
> of this at the moment. I still have issues in who is learning what
> lesson for what reason, but I think I'm getting there.
>
> You say that you wish you had better ways to say things. How you are
> saying them is just fine. We both know that you love us, care for us,
> pray for us & think of us regularly, & that means a lot to both of us. I
> think one of the lessons that I have to learn is that there are some
> things in life that you can't cope with on your own. I'm really having
> to suck in that stiffnecked Gaelic pride , accept help & realise that
> all people want in return is a simple "Thank you" Meantime, its a case
> of spending as much time as I can with Jude & celebrating every day that
> we do have each other & a depth of love that will carry us through this.