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Homecoming |
Early in life, we are enmeshed within a family or otherwise involved with others due to necessity. We are young beings who need others to literally survive. After childhood, at some point, we are likely to go out on our own. This is a beginning and a time of discovery and experimentation. A Singular Journey has begun. We begin by comparing ourselves to others and to our roles in society. We contrast our circumstance to those around us and to the circumstances of those in others places in the world. We begin to make judgments about our fortune, our abilities and our chances for success and happiness in life. Those early experiences now propel us towards one path or another. Those with good foundations will grow from a place of strength while others may struggle more with life's challenges. Opportunities often present as trials or obstacles. The individual's outlook can make a big difference in how they take advantage of what life presents to them. Self-discovery can be a complicated process. Some people latch on to the first concept that comes along while others seem to begin a never-ending developmental marathon. Religion, philosophy and current sociological concepts will all stop by for a visit during this time. Some people will embrace a particular religion or philosophy and keep it with them throughout their lives. Others will carefully examine one or two concepts, glean what they wish from them, and then continue to gather bits and pieces from everything else they encounter.In this manner, they create a personal philosophical mosaic. During this learning process, individuals become more aware of themselves physically, intellectually, emotionally and spiritually. This may or may not be carried out in equal proportion. That is, a person may develop intellectually first, then become more aware of emotional components before realizing spiritual growth. Any combination or sequence is possible. In the end, given support and opportunity, the individual emerges as some kind of integrated singular being. This developmental stage is very empowering, as the person now feels equipped to take a place in society at large and in concert with the others in their immediate lives. They may have comfortably attached various labels to themselves. These designations now begin to help identify and explain this person to others and to the individual themselves. They may be a "Democrat," or a "vegetarian," or a "hot-head." There's a good chance that the number of labels in use at this time is large. Having the tools and accouterments of each label in tow, the individual now has a path to follow: vegetarians don't eat meat and sometimes remind people that their shoes are made out of leather. Democrats fund social programs and like Barbra Streisand. Hotheads are unpleasant to be around and their behavior may ensure that some distance will be kept between themselves and others. Each label helps define the path in some limiting manner. The individual probably doesn't mind these limitations at this point in time. And, there's a good chance they aren't even aware that the labels themselves may help dictate their course. Self-reliance is strengthened as the affirmations and support of fellow "vegetarian democratic hotheads" bolsters the individual's confidence. Group dynamics create a strong base of operations and people can become quite comfortable within this protected environment. Interestingly, not everyone will remain comfortable. Some people begin to see a parallel path between themselves and others. Although the carnivorous republican next door has a completely different political and sociological path, the developmental similarities start to become apparent. Labels and distinctions, for some people, start to lose meaning and significance. Why? Many people, once established as individuals, now begin to incorporate others into their lives. This introduction of other people into one's life presents opportunities for comparison and contrast much like those of the early individual path of discovery of self. Now, it becomes possible to see the "what if's" and other viable alternative paths that we didn't choose to follow. If we have the capacity, we recognize that our path wasn't the only possibility and we may acknowledge that other people have been successful using different labels as guides. This can either strengthen our resolve or encourage us to abandon the chosen course. Being confident individuals is one thing, but now we are challenged anew to be involved intimately with other people. Personal relationships and professional vocational paths are not singular journeys. We now find ourselves totally thrown into a world of compromise and change. The clean lines and structure of early labels no longer serve us. If we don't meld into shared roles and concepts, we are seen as loners, outcasts and in extereme cases, sociopaths. This exposure to other concepts and examples of personal successes is quite powerful. It may be the springboard from which a new personal philosophy emerges. For many, this is the time of spiritual awakening. A realization of the energetic components of life is, in many ways, similar to a homecoming. The individual has come from a place of nurturance as a child, developed into an individual, become aware of others and now returns to a more personal individual place of discovery, a place of "personal individual nurturance." The individual may now make adjustments to reconcile the personal philosophy with universal concepts. The path to this place is often called the path to enlightenment. This may mean different things to different people, but for many, it is a journey to connect the individual with the source of "all there is." This now becomes the focus of life. The individual path to enlightenment may take one or more "lifetimes" to realize. Or perhaps only a weekend retreat. As far as I am concerned, the timeline isn't as important as the process. For some people, the process is, in fact, the main purpose of life. In thinking about this significant and seemingly difficult task, a quote comes to mind: "there's nothing you can find that cannot be found." Think about it. At first look, this might suggest a futile search. But, upon closer examination, I believe it states that there is nothing so difficult to find that it can NOT be found. In other words, it is an obtainable goal. Perhaps it is a belief that the personal quest for enlightenment is no more that a simple desire for completeness. It is a homecoming that everyone seeks, whether aware or not. I believe we all seek an individual homecoming upon which we realize we've come home to ourselves and in so doing, return to all there is.