I Wonder What . . .

"Someone who knew what he was talking about once remarked that pain was the touchstone of all spiritual progress."

I'm guessing that someone was Bill himself, our shrinking violet of a founder.  I'm guessing he did a lot of slipping in of his own wisdom and passing it off as the words of a great sage.  He rightly assumed it wouldn't have looked too good to say: "I - a man who knows what he's talking about - etc etc."

God love him.  Where would we be without a big, loud-mouthed salesman as one of our founders?  (Ed. Note: I was a big, loud-mouthed salesman.)

I was doing some off-line writing today, scribbling some thoughts down about my proneness to anxiety.  I went back over my Anxiety List to see what was there.  I saw some topical, worry-du-jour entries, things that really were the cause of some temporary, easily identified anxiety.  It's OK to be anxious when you're facing something that generally causes anxiety.  It's understandable, at least.  These things come and go; they're dealt  with or they disappear of their own accord.

And then there are things that show up over and over and over.  I sure spend a lot of time worrying about my health.  My main objection to this is that I've been blessed with a strong constitution.  I don't often get sick; I don't have any serious injuries or conditions; my family history is strong; but still, with any ache or pain I'm sure the end is near.

I'm going to assume I should be learning something here.  I wonder what it is.