Standing in the Eye of a Hurricane
"To hear and answer the call to commit fully to being in my life, I must learn to be with whatever IS ... If I am exclusively caught in my identity with daily concerns and passing thoughts and feelings, I mistake constantly changing circumstances for all there is, and my sense of well-being gets batted about like a Ping-Pong ball depending upon moment-to-moment conditions within and around me, conditions that are largely beyond my control. Without the perspective of knowing my essence, I will suffer, and in doing so I cannot help but spread suffering in the world."
-- from "The Call" by Oriah Mountain Dreamer
This is a concept that I often remind my students of: We are more than our jobs; more than our roles as parents, spouses, brothers, sisters, employees, etc.; more than our bank accounts and possessions; more than our emotions; and much more than our minds. Everything and everyone is constantly changing, so to pin your identity or happiness to an object or another person is a losing battle.