Beginnings
“There are no classes in life for beginners; right away you are always asked to deal with what is most difficult.”
Rainier Maria Rilke
Beginning anything new is always the most difficult step in the process, whether it is a relationship, a job, or a dance. Sometimes we just have to jump into the middle and then work our way back to the beginning. I don’t know about you, but I tend to procrastinate when something needs beginning and I don’t know how to proceed. Right now, for instance, I need to begin a third draft of the book I am writing. I know that it needs significant change; beefing up, character development, new plot twists, but when I look inside my head, I find a blank sheet of paper. I don’t know how to begin, so I pass by the computer, keeping it in my peripheral vision only, sidestepping to avoid collisions, and devise a million distracting tasks to do instead. Beginnings are hard.
We can take a cue from babies for whom everything is a beginning. There are several little ones in my church who have just begun to walk. You can’t teach a baby to walk; they have to learn it by a series of fits and starts. They pull up, take a couple of wobbly steps, and plunk down on their behinds—pull up again and start over. Learning to feed themselves is equally difficult. Most of the food goes on the floor, in their hair, eyes and ears before they manage to hit the jackpot. Beginnings are messy
Rilke’s advice on the subject of beginnings is not very helpful I’m afraid. He says, “It is a tremendous act of violence to begin anything.” I concur. I suppose there is some comfort in knowing that such a brilliant man also had difficulty with beginnings. Most of the time, we simply leap into the unknown; jump off the cliff and trust that on the way down enlightenment will occur. Either that or we will die a painful death! Beginnings are scary.
Since life is a series of beginnings, none of which is easy, we need support to take the plunge. Remember as children, how we would hold hands and jump into the water, or hold each other up on ice skates, or walk into school together on the first day? Beginnings require a helping hand. Good luck with your beginnings today. I’ve got your back.
Shalom,
Jane
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