The Wisdom Of Surrender

March 8, 2007
The Wisdom Of Surrender
Relying On Others


Most of us pride ourselves on our self-sufficiency. We
like to be responsible for taking care of ourselves and pulling our own
weight in the world. This is why it can be so challenging when we find
ourselves in a situation in which we have to rely on someone else. This
can happen as the result of an illness or an injury, or even in the
case of a positive change, such as the arrival of a newborn. At
times like these, it is essential that we let go of our feeling that we
should be able to do it all by ourselves and accept the help of others.


The first step is accepting the situation fully as
it is. Too often we make things worse either by trying to do more than
we should or by lapsing into feelings of uselessness. In both cases we
run the risk of actually prolonging our dependency. In addition, we
miss a valuable opportunity to practice acceptance and humility. The ego resists what is, so when we move into acceptance we move into the deeper realm of the soul.
In needing others and allowing them to help us, we experience the full
realization that we are not on our own in the world. While this may
bring up feelings of vulnerability, a deep feeling of gratitude may
also emerge as we open to the experience of being helped. This
realization can enable us to be wiser in our service of others when we
are called upon to help.

It takes wisdom and
strength to surrender to our own helplessness and to accept that we,
just like every other human being, have limitations. The gifts
of surrender are numerous. We discover humility, gratitude, and a
deepening understanding of the human experience that enables us to be
that much more compassionate and surrendered in the world.