Comments on: “To Struggle is the Program” http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/ Uplifting, edifying, and enriching reading by and for Latter-day Saint Women Tue, 06 Jan 2009 01:16:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.4 by: Michelle http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30772 Thu, 21 Jun 2007 04:06:36 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30772 Mary, thanks for your thoughts. These are concepts that I think we all need repetition with, so I appreciate you restating what it has meant to you. It's something that I think is really, really hard for the natural man/woman. We like checklists, and completed tasks, and feelings of accomplishment, and feelings of control. :) Mary, thanks for your thoughts. These are concepts that I think we all need repetition with, so I appreciate you restating what it has meant to you. It’s something that I think is really, really hard for the natural man/woman. We like checklists, and completed tasks, and feelings of accomplishment, and feelings of control. :)

]]> by: Mary A http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30578 Wed, 20 Jun 2007 00:47:42 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30578 Michelle, you amaze me with all these valuable insights that you write about! I very much appreciate your sharing them. I have heard comments such as, "Perfection is a process, not an event", and I would nod in agreement and understand the idea. Still, in my own life, I do tend to focus my attention on events and goals and not on the overall process of living a life. I think many of us are always thinking that life will be better, or worse, or different when X is over (whether it is reaching a goal, entering a new stage of life such as marriage or having children, completing an education--or surviving a dental appointment). We focus on the short term. In some ways, this is necessary in order to get things done, but if I can learn to keep that long-range perspective, then perhaps I can aim my struggles (and goals and events) in the right direction. I do sometimes ponder the need for an eternal perspective--seeing the pre-mortal existence and the post-mortal existence as being as much a part of our life as this mortal existence is--in order to help me keep my priorities straight. Somehow, though, I had missed thinking of my mortal life in a larger picture. At least, it didn't register fully enough to do me any good! "To struggle is the program", along with Kirsti's "Conflict is an opportunity", are ideas I believe will help me--I just need to grasp them more firmly than I am right now. I think I shall be pondering your post for awhile and getting a better vision of how to live my life. Thanks again for your insights. :) Michelle, you amaze me with all these valuable insights that you write about! I very much appreciate your sharing them.

I have heard comments such as, “Perfection is a process, not an event”, and I would nod in agreement and understand the idea. Still, in my own life, I do tend to focus my attention on events and goals and not on the overall process of living a life. I think many of us are always thinking that life will be better, or worse, or different when X is over (whether it is reaching a goal, entering a new stage of life such as marriage or having children, completing an education–or surviving a dental appointment). We focus on the short term. In some ways, this is necessary in order to get things done, but if I can learn to keep that long-range perspective, then perhaps I can aim my struggles (and goals and events) in the right direction.

I do sometimes ponder the need for an eternal perspective–seeing the pre-mortal existence and the post-mortal existence as being as much a part of our life as this mortal existence is–in order to help me keep my priorities straight. Somehow, though, I had missed thinking of my mortal life in a larger picture. At least, it didn’t register fully enough to do me any good! “To struggle is the program”, along with Kirsti’s “Conflict is an opportunity”, are ideas I believe will help me–I just need to grasp them more firmly than I am right now.

I think I shall be pondering your post for awhile and getting a better vision of how to live my life. Thanks again for your insights. :)

]]> by: Michelle http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30541 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 19:03:09 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30541 I'm going to pass that mantra on to my dad, Kirsti! That's a good one, too. I’m going to pass that mantra on to my dad, Kirsti! That’s a good one, too.

]]> by: Kirsti http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30505 Tue, 19 Jun 2007 13:06:09 +0000 http://roxcy.synthian.org/2007/06/18/to-struggle-is-the-program/#comment-30505 Thanks for the insights, Michelle. My Dad used to tell us: "conflict is an opportunity", and it's something that has helped me in many situations. The idea is similar to your Dad's--when conflict happens, it's an opportunity to react appropriately to our challenges, an opportunity to learn and become a better person. How grateful I am for the wisdom of my father! Thanks for the insights, Michelle. My Dad used to tell us: “conflict is an opportunity”, and it’s something that has helped me in many situations. The idea is similar to your Dad’s–when conflict happens, it’s an opportunity to react appropriately to our challenges, an opportunity to learn and become a better person. How grateful I am for the wisdom of my father!

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