Resistance is futile

November 17, 2016
resistance

Santa Fe/October 2016

The process of living changes us. Sometimes, our hearts feel battered and bruised and other times our hearts are so full they feel like they could burst. Life changes us, there’s nothing we can do about it. Resistance is futile.

Life changes us
Sometimes it brings us to our feet
Sometimes it brings us to our knees
~Oriah Mountain Dreamer

How many times do we rail against the fates, ask God “Why??”  We can ask the question a million times but this is the only truth that comes back: resistance is futile. (In everything but politics, which requires our full-on participation and  yes, sometimes, resistance.)

We’re asked to go with the flow, to learn the lesson.

Yes, yes, some people are given very hard lessons. Really hard ones. Heartbreaking lessons. I have no idea why.

What I do know is that resistance is futile. We’re asked to let all the experiences of life change us, to take the lesson.

Oriah Mountain Dreamer has written something beautiful and true on that very subject HERE and it’s worth your time.

 

37 comments on “Resistance is futile
  1. Crystal says:

    I’ve learned to let whatever is going to happen, happen if it’s something I know I cannot change and take what lessons and good from it I can . . . It isn’t always easy, but looking back I can at least feel good about how I reacted, or didn’t.

  2. Diane says:

    I loved this poem!

    “Let it teach us…” Those words just resound with me!
    Sharing…

  3. Surrender becomes a good word sometimes. And we should know to surrender to the joy as well as the sorrow, and I wanted to say ‘the lesson’ will appear. But I don’t think there are always lessons, especially in sorrow, I just think somehow you will get through and maybe the getting through is the point.

  4. Nancy Hill says:

    I wish I could find that accepting open part of myself again. I still feel like I’m fighting the Borg most of the day. I do accept tasks assigned by life, but… sometimes I have an attitude.

  5. I’m definitely at a part in life where I am asking “Why??” And I’ve accepted there’s nothing I can do but go with the flow and learn from it. Thanks for sharing this. I guess it helps to know we all are going through something, just different ways of learning.

  6. Amber Myers says:

    What a great poem. Sometimes I do ask why.

  7. Christina says:

    The ‘why’ is the hardest thing to leave alone. Tony struggles with that a lot, and while I did at the beginning of our drama I learned it was better for my mental health if I didn’t focus on it.

  8. Resistance may be futile but people are stubborn. 🙂 But sometimes, resisting is the only way.

  9. Nellwyn says:

    It’s true that sometimes we have to take what life gives us and learn to work with it, we can’t always have control over what comes into our lives. The most we can do is hope life changes us for the better as we learn something.

  10. sue says:

    Sometimes change is just so hard but resistance is futile and only succeeds in stress and unhappiness. Beautiful poem, changes good or bad shape us and our lives. It makes us who we are and coping with a change we don’t want makes us stronger.

  11. Lori says:

    Yes,we are in a constant flow of life changes. Lessons learned can be hard but there is no shame, or perfection. Just let go and move forward.

  12. Heather says:

    Resistance and perseverance I think. During hard times you can lay down and fold, or keep caring on being grateful for what you have and trying your best to contribute goodness into the world.

  13. That reminds me of the Fickle Finger of Fate from Laugh In! Or the teeshirt that says, Shit Happens.Personally, I think of Fate as a mischievous little shit who sits on my shoulder and says, hah! Take that!

  14. Deanna says:

    Very beautiful! Life does change us, it is important that we push forward and grow.

  15. helene cohen bludMan says:

    Life’s lessons can be elusive. There are often many questions and few answers.

  16. Leanne says:

    For some reason we all seem to have a little bit of that first world entitlement in the backs of our minds where we think that everything should be perfect. Life has no guarantees and sometimes when we look back, the tough times are the ones that stand out as watershed moments.

  17. Yes, surrender is a good thing. It frees your soul.

  18. Nicole says:

    A lesson that everyone needs to think about and embrace. Making positive life changes is the only way to move forward and only you can do it. Wonderful inspirational post.

  19. Laurie Stone says:

    Carol, Now more than ever (especially after this devastating election) a lot of us are realizing that with acceptance comes peace. Resistance can only bring pain. Thanks for the reminder.

  20. Roz Warren says:

    Wise words for hard times. I’m dealing with a couple of challenges myself and your perspective helps.

  21. Stacey says:

    Ongoing work in progress!

  22. jill conyers says:

    Life is so much better without the resistance. And that’s after being a long time person that didn’t go with the flow very easily.

  23. victoria says:

    What a powerful poem, You are so good in writing

  24. Thanks for the recommendation! Checking it out right now. 🙂

  25. I’m with Debra Schrader- resisting is the only way.
    Or, maybe we just need to remember- for the good AND the bad..
    This, too, shall pass

  26. joanna says:

    Every time I’m going through, I find something to encourage me. Thank you for this.

  27. There is the thing and then there is the resistance to the thing, and sometimes the resistance is worse than the thing. I’m not expressing myself in the lovely poetic style of your writing or the Oriah Mountain Dreamer but I do get the concepts. Learning to accept what you cannot change is one of the keys to a happy life and helps you move on making new plans.

  28. Laura says:

    Very poignant and true.

  29. “WHY” is the question I asked everyday. But yet I know that the answer is with God. Surrender is the only thing I could think of for salvation.

  30. Thank you for sharing my little blog Carol – and I loved reading the comments here. Stirs the pot: is resistance really necessary? Maybe, sometimes. Maybe it’s the only thing that keeps us breathing. The hard part is that those of us who are certain that resistance is the only way, probably need to let that resistance go at least once in awhile, while those who tend toward quick collapse might need to learn to fight on. Good to remember we are all doing the best we can with what we have to work with. And, some days, we need to ask for help- need to get more to work with. 🙂

  31. COURTNEYLYNNE says:

    Omg lovely piece!!! I feel we all find our selves asking why every now and then!

  32. Elizabeth O. says:

    We can never control whatever comes our way, the only thing that we can control is how we react to it. I agree, we can’t resist, if it comes, it comes and we just have to learn how to ride with it.

  33. Jennifer says:

    I’ve been both on my knees and on my feet and I know that both are just as important.

  34. Lisa Rios says:

    Such a beautiful poem and I agree that sometimes you just need to stick to what comes on your way and take a positive note out of it. Every event that happens has no control and we just need to keep moving on!

  35. Rosemond says:

    We can all learn to take the lesson, if we will let ourselves.

  36. Silly Mummy says:

    I’m not very good at this mindset, but I see the sense of it when it comes to things you cannot change. It would save a lot of energy not to resist.

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