Sunday 8/27 - an observation
I've taken much solace in Taoism and, though it strays from my usual expository style, I thought I'd share a thought it inspired:
I observe that people often use terms like "struggle" or "fight" in reference to coping with cancer. Yet, my goal is to struggle as little as possible; and rather, to calmly endure. The real challenge I see, the only aspect truly under my own control, is to quell my fears - and the pumped-up warrior mindset does not lend itself to that end. Thus, as with much of life, the ideal to me is not to try; just to do.
I observe that people often use terms like "struggle" or "fight" in reference to coping with cancer. Yet, my goal is to struggle as little as possible; and rather, to calmly endure. The real challenge I see, the only aspect truly under my own control, is to quell my fears - and the pumped-up warrior mindset does not lend itself to that end. Thus, as with much of life, the ideal to me is not to try; just to do.
I really like this, Jane. There's a lot of disagreement among cancer researchers and others about the value of the metaphor of "doing battle with cancer." Calm endurance (combined with effective action when needed) seems much better to me!
ReplyDeleteThank you! Interesting to know that that's a debate among cancer researchers too - I wonder if it's partly a cultural divide.
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
Delete"The real challenge I see, the only aspect truly under my own control, is to quell my fears" - I really like this too, Jane!
ReplyDeleteMany people divide the world into pairs of opposing forces. This provides an easy structure and meaning to the world, as people can define themselves in part through opposition.
Ironically, seeing the world as a diverse whole appears to be more challenging. My favourite expression of this sentiment so far is from Darwin regarding evolution:
"There is grandeur in this view of life, with its several powers, having been originally breathed into a few forms or into one; and that, whilst this planet has gone cycling on according to the fixed law of gravity, from so simple a beginning endless forms most beautiful and most wonderful have been, and are being, evolved."
Thanks for sharing, Dan! It's a beautiful quote. I'm not sure I understand the connection from what I said to opposing forces though - perhaps because of that theme in taoism generally?
DeleteI was straying pretty far for the quote! I was thinking of it as an example of the richer view that can come from understanding things as a unified process, rather than opposing forces. We can understand all life as having the same origin and working through the same process of evolution, which creates endless diversity, rather than the more limiting categorizations we apply to living things.
DeleteI think the benefits of the diversity of unified expression are there in the trying and doing distinction. When people try to do things, there is a distinction between our intention and our outcomes; the environment is an inherently opposing force in that view. A different way of seeing the world is that there isn't really trying - just what we do. Even though this seems like a simpler perspective, I think viewing life in this way again opens up more diversity in understanding human action, rather than less.
I suppose that does pit intention against environment. That's a great insight... where did you get it? :)
Delete