Playing Our Part

Life, according to my friend Paddy, is like the softball game she used to play as a child. She remembers that while she played in the position to which she was assigned, she would become extremely anxious if another team member was not able to do what was required, and Paddy would suffer extreme frustration in not being able to change the outcome of the game. She realized at some point in her life, that worrying about what other team members could or could not do, was not her business. She had to learn that she was assigned to hold a certain position on the team and hold it to the best of her ability. That was why she was there.

As in softball, when we become overwhelmed by the tragedies and trauma of our world and feel immobilized by our inability to take care of all that needs to be done (much as we feel as we think of the catastrophic devastation in Haiti) perhaps it serves us well to remember that we are not able to do it all. We are each here to play a part, and to play it in full consciousness, to the best of our ability. We can help others where and when it is possible but just being the best Paddy/Susan/Margaret/Heather that we can be, is why we are here.