I have three books that I’m currently reading and today I picked one up titled I Believe: When What You Believe Matters by Eldon Taylor. I found a passage that jumped out at me and I read it again and again. It’s a story Joseph Campbell tells about Freidrich NIstzsche.
“At a certain moment in Nietzsche’s life, the idea came to him of what he called “the love of your fate.” Whatever your fate is, whatever the heck happens, you say, “This is what I need.” It may look like a wreck but go through it as though it were an opportunity or a challenge.
If you bring love to that moment–not discouragement– you will find the strength is there. Any disaster that you can survive is an improvement in your character, your stature, and your life. What a privilege! This is when the spontaneity of your own nature will have a chance to flow. Then, when looking a back at your life, you will see that the moments which seemed to be great failures followed by wreckage were the incidents that shaped the life you have now. You’ll see that this is really true.
As I read this, I looked back at those moments when my life was in total chaos and relived the wreckage that surrounded me. I don’t think the words “This is what I need” ever crossed my mind but over time I realize I did need it. I needed a clear ending. I needed focus. I needed to let go. I needed to cry. I needed to heal. And with the help of friends and family, I found the strength.
The trouble is, when you are in that moment, it’s hard to see the pieces of your shattered life as an opportunity or challenge. You mainly see failure and loss.
And yet, standing here and looking back I understand it was an opportunity to choose a new path. And over time, I picked up what I needed from the wreckage and redefined me.
The love of my fate…
I Believe: When what you believe matters by Eldon Taylor
Joseph Campbell – Reflections on the Art of Living
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Happily ... after retirement 
Thank you for sharing this Marge… In this concise manner! Like a dose of Abraham, my daily addiction, which came through others… Synchronicity, I love it…
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Your message brings to mind that good can come from bad. Thanks for sharing, MargeKatherine.
blessings ~
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Hi Starbear — I’ve missed you! It’s good to see you here. I think that Abraham, Campbell and NIstzsche are all on the same page. Hugs!
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Maxi — I think that when we say goodbye to something or someone we are opening doors for new experiences. Those experiences are not all about us. Those experiences might be about someone in need, someone who is hurting, someone who is frightened. Who knew we had so much understanding, love and caring to give? When you’ve been there, you sort of know what someone else needs. And you listen.
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Oh this was a wonderful wonderful post! Thank you so much for sharing! 🙂
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Reblogged this on The Heartsongs Blog and commented:
I hardly ever do reblogs…but this post just called me to do so 🙂
A short read but beautifully written.
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I came to this post via Shreejacobs blog.
She chose well in drawing my attention to it.
I agree with her comments, ‘a wonderful post’
I thank you both. _/\_
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found this through Shree. I love this concept Marge. There is a great challenge in loving pain and/or chaos, but it is potentially an opening and great energy accompanies these events in time.
peace,
litebeing
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Hi Shree,
Thanks so much for your visit, comments and for reblogging my post. It’s fun when the words on the page jump off and scream READ ME!
Hugs!
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What a treat to have you visit my blog! And to leave a comment – Thanks!
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HI Litebeing and welcome. You are so right about the great energy that comes during chaos. It’s just hidden most of the time and only is found later when we we are able to breathe again.
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There really is something special about those words, isn’t there? I read them over and over before I wrote them and then I read them again and again.
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Very true Marge…for some reason, it resonated a lot with me too 🙂
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Great post Marge. Like Linda I found you via Shree.
I have found that one of your great moments of being empowered is in those moments, when you can alchemically change how you feel about them. Make lemonade and it is ever so sweet.
Namaste
Sindy
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I swung by via Shree’s reblog. Good thoughts, Marge.
I’ve never used those words, but I do say similar things:
“Want what life wants.”
“Accept the what is.”
“How we relate to the issue is the issue.”
Some of the worst moments of my life, with enough time and perspective, turned into the “best thing that could have happened to me.”
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Hi Sindy, Great to have you visit me!
Love your comment. I like to think that during moments of chaos we have the opportunity to choose our path – but it’s hard too, isn’t it? Sometimes just getting up in the morning zaps our strength for the day. It’s a struggle and when we’re in the mist of it, there’s no instruction book. Or if there is one we are blind to it and numb to everything else.
And yet, in looking back at those times – we discern our strengths and are amazed we got through those moments.
And hopefully we stand ready to help others who find themselves swallowed up and drowning…
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Lovely to see you here!
I am reading a book titled A Blessing in Disguise: 39 Life Lessons From Today’s Greatest Teachers by Andrea Joy Cohen. It’s all about the worst moments becoming life lessons. And now that I think about it, it’s as if they all stood above their chaos and said “This is what I need …”
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Sounds like a great way to learn from the lessons of others.
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Thank you for this post.. I cam via Shree’s reblog.. I so relate to this. We often fight against change instead of embracing change as growth.. We sometimes have to close one chapter to allow another to follow.. Such is the Book of Life… And when we look back we can see just how one thing led us to another.. Often too in my own experience, its the traumatic times which have led to greatest leaps forward.. 🙂 So we should embrace our fate with Love.. and accept the Universe has a much deeper plan for us to see into the horizon which is often too far off for us Mortals to see the route of discovering just who we are as we step out in along our journey back home. 🙂
Many thanks for allowing my thoughts here.. Blessings Sue
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HI Sue, Thanks for your lovely comments regarding my post. As you mentioned we often fight change when in fact, change is often our savior. If I could go back in time and change ONE thing, it would be how I processed events. I’d bypass the worry and just go with the flow. It’s going to happen anyhow regardless of my fretting and worry. And as you said, most times were great leaps forward.
Warm regards, Marge Katherine
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Love this post. It’s come at a time when I have had some personal upset, but a friend has just phoned me and brought the quirky back out it me, so feeling much better. Everything does happen how it is meant to.
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