Si Tout est Vraiment Relatif...

Si tout est vraiment relatif, cela veut-il dire qu'un concepte absolu du bien ou du mal n'existe pas?  Y a t-il des choses qui peuvent etre considerees comme bien alors que de part le monde, ells sont en general reconnues comme mal et vice-versa? Et ce qu'on appelle la voix de la conscience alors, qui en Anglais s'appelle "moral compass"? Est ce une invention? Je me demande... Puisque tout le monde questionne la validite de tout maintenant, sur quoi se base-t-on pour porter un jugement sur quoi que ce soit?  Avons-nous simplement appris ce qui est bien ou mal a travers la societe ou nous evoluons ou  fait-elle partie intrinseque de nous? On ne peut pas parler de joie sans parler de souffrance, n'est ce pas? La souffrance est un concepte universel. Tout le monde ressent la douleur physique qui fait souffrir. Tout le monde ressent le tourment de la faim. Si la souffrance existe, le contraire de la souffrance doit exister aussi.    Donc, tout comme tout le monde ressent la souffrance, tout le monde ressent aussi la joie, la joie qui s'exprime lorsque nos besoins sont satisfaits, qu'il s'agisse be besoins physiques ou affectifs.  Les variations viennent de nos differences culturelles et de ce que chaque personne considere necessaire a son Bonheur (facon de parler) mais en fait, il doit bien exister certains principes universels qui sont reconnus comme capables d'apporter du bonheur a tous les hommes, des situations qui provoquent les memes reactions de joie ou d'alegresse chez tous les hommes. C'est ce qui tisse la toile humanitaire qui nous unit, ce qui cree la difference entre l'Homo Sapiens et les autres especes animales je suppose. Il y a simplement trop d'arguments contre l'essence de la nature humaine... C'est comme si les gens ne prennent vraiment plus le temps de penser. Si nous etions supposes donner libre cours a tous nos instincts, nous n'aurions pas ressenti ce besoin de nous organiser aussitot arrives sur terre, n'aurions pas etabli des lois aussi primitives etaient-elles lors, aussitot que nous ayons ete assez nombreux pour former une tribu. Oui, nous sommes nes libres. Mais nous sommes aussi des individus geres par une conscience innee qui nous aide instinctivement a distinguer le bien et le mal. Il peut y avoir des nuances basees sur nos differences culturelles mais l'essence de ce qui est bien ou mal est en chacun de nous.

Learned, Tried and True

Life can be as simple or as complicated as we make it and, if we consider the fact that some things are inherently complicated, doesn’t it become even more important to un-complicate the things we can? There are situations that are out of our control and, when they do arise, these situations can bring to our lives, an unimaginable level of complications along with anxiety, depression and sometimes loss. So in light of all of this, why make mountains out of molehills that are in fact just that, molehills? Sometimes, it’s better to step away from a situation, distance ourselves from it so that we can look at the whole picture for, once we start focusing on all the details, picking apart every word, every action, every situation, we will almost always find cause for discontent, almost always. 

What Have I Learned from This Past Year?

So... A year has just ended and another one is just beginning.  What have I learned from this past year? The truth?  Pain. I learned a lot about pain this past year.  I learned that pain is strong and real and scary.  I think of PAIN in bold, fiery letters.  I also think of FAITH and LOVE. I think of disappointment and deception. I think of all the ways life has me cornered, unable to do what I truly feel or want. I think of the ways I would change things if I could, the things I would bring forth in my life and that of the ones I love.
It's hard. It's no secret that it's been a tough year. Actually, I'm not sure I've ever known another year as tough as the one that just went by. True, the year I gave birth to my son 16 weeks early and lived through his 9 months of hospital stay was a tough one, too. But though I had many deeply emotional weeks, days, and moments, they somehow fade a little in comparison to the Pain I felt last year. The fear I knew, became intimately acquainted with this past year. I mean, I've felt pain and have been afraid before but never so ferociously or so suddenly.  Sometimes, a situation develops and you can predict that pain will come at some point so you kind of steel yourself in expectation of the negative emotions you know are coming your way. But, sometimes, pain thunders through your life unannounced, uninvited, like a violent storm, a storm that threatens to completely destroy you, to toss you up in the air before slamming you down to the ground in thousands of broken pieces. I'm not sure I'm describing it correctly but yes, that's the kind of pain I felt this past year. And when you feel this kind of pain, it brings about a visceral fear. A fear of uncertainties, of horrific scenarios, fear of the future, fear of the present. This kind of pain brings about unreasonable wishes, crazy dreams of magical powers where you can change events with just the touch of a wand. It brings about an illogical desire to turn back time and set it to happier days when Pain was manageable and understandable. 
It's not something you can really explain. I can't really explain it though I try. It's just an unbelievably scary, achingly dark feeling. I don't know what else to say about that.
And on the other side of pain there is Faith-Love-Despair and Hope all mixed into one. There is the light brought on by helping hands and soothing words, of caring shoulders and comforting words. There is the cross of Jesus Christ and the child like faith set in one's heart. There are rallies of prayers and phone calls and emails, the quiet presence of loving ones. It doesn't take away the pain but it helps you breathe through it all. It's suffocating at times the Pain, like barbed wire holding you hostage:  Your nose, your neck, your mouth, your chest, a burning imprint on your heart and all of your senses, something that may even consume you whole if not for the hands holding you still.
I know of physical pain of course. Pain caused by an injury, a fall, a punch, an illness. Pain brought on by the lacerations of a whip or horrific harm done to ones' body. I know this pain is horrible, too. But emotional pain is right up there with the worst of them. The pangs of despair that come unannounced, that rob you of sleep and crash through your heart. And you're lying there wondering if they'll ever stop! If you'll ever stop feeling this hurt, this miserable.
Somehow you make it through. You don't know how, you're not sure how but you make it through the stormy days. God's Love and Mercy help you through.  Love and Kindness sustain you. Faith gives you Hope to keep believing and somehow you make it through. 
And you start laughing again one day. You remember what gives you joy, play some music, talk to some friends, watch a movie or read a book. You felt broken and now you're here. You're living life not knowing how and you look around with a smile knowing that God's Mercy is at work here.