Perspectives on Worry

Isn't it funny how life can be chugging along quite smoothly one day and then all of a sudden, the wheels fall off and we find ourselves in a tangle of conflicts and misunderstandings, feeling simultaneously guilty that we might have unintentionally made poor decisions and hurt that our own perspective has not been fully acknowledged?

It's Friday today and at the end of what has been an emotionally draining week, with more than its fair share of unforeseen challenges, I'm feeling somewhat philosophical. Shall we call this Philosophical Friday? Or Philosophical Phriday perhaps? Anyway, while I'm in this frame of mind, I'd like to share with you a little lesson that one of my sisters, who visited me yesterday, shared with me ...

I told my sister that I was feeling overwhelmed and confused at the moment and that I distinctly felt the need to pray because the challenges in front of me were more than I could handle alone. The only thing was, I had no idea what I was supposed to be praying for. Rather than giving me any direct advice, she told me about a Buddhist teaching based on worry. It is such a simple concept but it has helped me achieve a sense of serenity. I hope that you too will be able to gain something from it, whether it's today or sometime in the future when you need it and remember it.

So here it is, the two most important lessons in dealing with a problem:

So there it is. I understand that some folks won't necessary like it, but for me it's not a simple message of "don't worry, be happy", it's a gentle reminder that worrying only wastes our energy and exacerbates our problems.

What do you think?