an outlook on Tragedy and the activation of untapped depths

And sometimes it's tragic, Life. No question. As global human misery and violent eruptions on Mother Earth's land and sea surface increase to dangerous proportions, we are facing abrupt and confronting lifestyle changes. Despite the growing sense of doom, I remind myself that without some kind of redemptive beauty, there can be no tragedy. Even if that beauty might not be apparent right away, it eventually shows itself in ways that heal our wounded spirits, give us hope, and help us see our strength and connectedness within the greater order of life.

Suffering has always brought unexpected goodness out of people. If you see a family member, friend or colleague struggle with a debilitating illness, your heart breaks to a new level, inviting a compassionate response and real conversation.

This is true for many tragedies, such as the loss of a child or the loss of one’s home.

When there has been natural disasters, the world has rallied to provide relief. In my community of friends there have been times when one is taken by illness, the rest of us come together to provide ‘‘something’’ to lighten that person’s load and help them focus on rest and recovery.

Tragedy activates untapped depths of our generous and compassionate heart; it brings normally disparate people more closely together into the spirit of family, no matter the distance and anonymity.

It calls forth rarely expressed or dormant aspects of the soul, just like how we hear of stories of people trapped under heavy weight who discover miraculous feats of strength and push themselves free. Great adversity does this — it brings forth depth, power and the heart, which can create unity and command unexpected miracles.