Doomed Trying To Find Completion

0 Shares
0
0
0

Toe stretching isn’t the most thrilling activity even when one is totally focused. Remember when I promised a few weeks ago to pay attention when caring for my precious human body? Well, this morning while trying to focus on my feet, this thought came to me: exercise is so tedious because there is never a sense of being done. Tomorrow I have to do it all again.


With this insight in mind, I sat down to read for a few minutes. Since enjoying and learning from a book by the author Mark Epstein the day before, today I pulled out an Epstein book I have been meaning to read: Going to Pieces Without Falling Apart. I noticed the publication date was 1998, the year after my life actually did go to pieces after my divorce. 


Opening it up, and I want you to know that I am not making this part up – or using poetic license – this actually happened: When I read the phrase, “trying to find completion” – my body felt a shimmer – that is the only way I can think to describe it. My body and I were moved by the synchronicity.


Epstein then wrote that trying to find completion is doomed. 


Why?


Because – and I will let Epstein answer the question directly in the next sentence because I don’t understand the reason enough yet  to put it in my own words:


“Completion comes not from adding another piece to ourselves but from surrendering our ideas of perfection.”


There it is! It makes sense but is difficult to put into words. Let me know what you think. Do you like the feeling of completion as much as I do?


Image: The current uncompleted state of my desk.

0 Shares
6 comments
  1. My immediate thought was that completion can be: being at peace and also being in the moment as we discussed before.
    If your journey involves learning, practice or training, or all of them combined in some fashion, then the completion would be when you are able to do, in some fashion, what you practiced without thinking consciously about the practice or training. The “completion” is not perfect in 99% of these moments, but it is satisfying and most likely better than before. More importantly, you are in the moment enjoying what you are doing in a higher level.

    1. So much wisdom in your message Mark. I especially like your first thought about being in the moment and your last thought of how we can enjoy what we are doing even though not perfect but appreciate our increased ability to savor.

      Thanks for reading and commenting. Means a lot to me!

    1. Oh, Diane – I’m trying to love it too! Takes a lot of pressure off doesn’t it!
      Thanks for being here!

Comments are closed.

You May Also Like