I received a message in a bottle: “You can never learn less; you can only learn more. The reason I know so much is because I have made so many mistakes.” – Buckminster Fuller.
Although I found this quote to be accurate in describing me and my life’s wandering, I have to say that I don’t really want to use the word “mistakes”. Mr. Fuller might have resonated with the word, he had to have to write this, but I can’t say I do.
Twists and Turns
I believe we go through life as we should. Twisting and turning, having ups and downs, starting and stopping, changing direction as we do a thought in mid-sentence. There is not one thing that I’ve done in my life that I would call a “mistake”. I did what I have done for one of two reasons – either it was the only option at the time and I couldn’t see around the situation in my present moment or I saw a need or a value in going down that particular road a little further to see where I end up – I had a notion, a feeling about it.
Who Is Choosing?
What am I saying? I really did not “choose” to do anything. This is the road that which was shown to me and on which I travelled, for better or for worse, really there was no choice.
As a Spiritual Being, I believe that and I don’t see much wrong with it. It makes sense to me. The twists and turns of my life, as the quote says are why I know so much about a lot of things…yes. All that I know, experienced and thought about, all inform me in remarkable and profound ways. I would never regret, resent or want to change one moment of my life. The word mistakes makes me feel that I should or would want to and I don’t.
Experience Begets Knowledge
So… I would then say this: During the evolution of my consciousness, I have experienced necessary and intense states of clarity, confusion, elation, and heartache. These took me to deeper levels of being and contentment. While on a secular level I may have, at times, displayed lack of direction to those around me, I was being directed inward first. Now looking back at all I’ve accumulated, my knowledge and my practice, I can say that I’ve learned a great deal about the world and more importantly about myself, and am more clear and resolved than ever before within myself. How can anything I’ve been through be a mistake when it has led me to this profound awareness?
The mystery continues to unfold. I am grateful for all of it.