The End May Also Be the Beginning

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“The world is round and the place which may seem like the end may also be the beginning.” – Ivy Baker Priest

Ivy Baker Priest, 9/7/05-6/23/75, was the U.S. Treasurer from 1953-1961. As a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter-Day Saints in Utah, she had two unsuccessful runs for Congress.

Despite some obvious differences in religious beliefs, I have to agree with the above quote, given to “Parade” magazine in 1958. I am sure you have heard all the clichés: The sun will rise tomorrow. Behind every dark cloud the sun shines brightest. The proverbial cup is half full or half empty. And so on.

One’s perception of a situation creates their reality. (For more about perception read http://liomsaland.blogspot.com/2015/08/perspective-mountain.html). I will share with you my perception that there is no beginning, no end, only change. Man-made elements that measure time put a so-called end to a period (hour, day, year) but the sun rises and sets daily, the cycle is never broken. The natural seasons do likewise as we sow, plant, grow, reap, rest to nourish and enrich the soil only to start over in the spring.

The Tree of Life represents this same thought. All parts equal, above so below, the tree sheds its fruit/seed to the ground to be reborn again. The leaves fall and become nourishment to the supporting soil. One ends only to start again in another form.

All this mirrors our lives – birth, growth, manifestation (reaping our experiences) and then the inevitable death (passing from this plane to another) followed by rebirth. One’s soul continues on. No end, only change. And change, while many do not like it, does not usually result in something negative, only different. Lose a job? Maybe you will find a new, better one. Maybe you will seek additional education to make yourself more marketable. Maybe you will follow a life-long dream of being self-employed. Maybe you experience an end to a relationship. This opens the way to another one. Health problems can arise or maybe you are experiencing financial difficulty for some reason. It often is a time to reprioritize and concentrate on what’s really important to you.

While all of these things can be traumatic in and of themselves, none are unbeatable. You can rise above the downturn in some fashion. Look for the positive and flip the situation. There is always a positive of some kind to stimulate you to drive on and right the ship.

Things happen for a reason. I believe they happen to allow us to experience something and to learn from it or to help teach others. It is often hard to see the rose bud among the thorns but while it starts small it grows and in time is the primary focus on the plant as it blooms. So can your turnaround from an experience. Look hard for it, nourish it and live it.

Blessed Be!