Your Self is Made on the Edge

Image by Ronald Diel on Unsplash

A drawing teacher once told me “art is made on the edge.”  Much wisdom in those few words.

Over the years, as life has played out, I’ve come to see the statement’s parallel to life in general.  Especially if it is a lifetime in which we are opening up to our greater Self through spirituality.

Not every life is intended for spiritual growth. Sometimes we get to primarily cruise and enjoy being here with little angst.  Other lifetimes seem to be a complete shitshow — one tough experience after another offering minimal space for growth.  These are the extremes; this is not what I’m referring to as the edge.

If this is a spiritual growth lifetime for you, you can be assured there are going to be challenges to your identity.  

You will be on the receiving end of another’s hate.
You will experience betrayal, negation and shame.
You will be deeply hurt and forced to turn inward.

You will stop listening to another’s version of you.
Your hurt will become determination.
Your pain will become wisdom.

Again and again and again, you will be forced to let go of who you believed yourself to be so that the truth of you can emerge.

Others can offer advice, but you’re not going to get a road map.  That’s not how it works.

The Self, the one you’ve always known yourself to be, is made on the edge, not in the comfortable middle.

And walking that edge is a one-step-at-a-time process.  You can’t look back and you can’t look down.  

Trust yourself, your Self, above all else. You will know what to do when it is time.