When I was doing my graduate degree, we had a professor who stated that “We learn just as much about ourselves from what hurts us as from what loves us.” Then we all watched “Tuesdays with Morrie.” 🙂 Further to this, we had to write a journal style essay exploring this statement and how it was relevant in our own lives; the experience of which was quite therapeutic and has helped to informed me, not only in my professional life but in my personal life as well.
We often have no control over the challenges that come our way; it is the feelings associated with those difficult times that we most fear; landing us, alone, on the island of avoidance. A place that at first may seem appealing, (who wouldn’t want to go to an island right now?) however; isolated from others and essentially ourselves, we become increasingly lost.
Perhaps then, it becomes about incorporating what hurts us into our story; to matter-of-fact accept that it happened, to see ourselves in that space, and to honour who we are within it. When we consciously make the decision to incorporate our hurts with our loves, we land ourselves on a much richer and more promising island.
Photo credit:Â http://Photo by Steve Halama on Unsplash
Thoughtful post this morning. I’ve never heard this phrased in this way, puts me in mind of things like “stronger at the mended parts”. I’ve never watched Tuesday’s with Morris, I’ll put it on my list.
Gurlie
We often are “stronger at the mended parts;” that is a great way to phrase it! It was a good movie; as was the book 🙂
Thanks for your feedback Gurlie!!