shadowy valleys

I have been thinking a lot this morning about humbleness, and the power it has to transform our lives as we turn our affairs over to a force greater than ourselves. Partly this arises out of my own realizations of how much easier life is when I keep myself humble, and glad, and move from that space. Partly this comes from a conversation I just had with a friend, who is moving from a place of despair, confusion, and anger, to the realization that they can, in fact, reap the benefits of change and a deeper connection. I flipped open one of my favorite books this morning, Marianne Williamson's Illuminata: A Return to Prayer:

Dear God,

The pain of this life is more than I can bear.

I feel as though death would be better.

My thoughts are dark, my sorrows huge.

I feel as though I shall not endure, and there is

    no one and nothing to turn to now.

My hurt is so big,

I cannot handle this.

If You can, dear God, please do.

If You can, please do.

Amen.

Personally, I like to substitute the word goddess for god, because I find that the words have a deeper resonance in my body when I do so. The feminine face of the absolute resonates more resoundingly than does the male, in my current, feminine, form. Although my Sunday morning is full of light and joy this week, personal experience will never let me forget that we all go through dark times, and need to know not only how to handle them, but how to find our way out again, and how to maintain an inner equilibrium while going through our personal valleys of shadows.