Challenges create growth

Renee Lehman

(5/2021) Let us face it, the past year has been full of challenges. Challenges, whether appreciated or not, at the time of the actual event, provide us with the opportunity to grow. If we do not grow from challenges, we can become miserable. The phrase, "Pain is inevitable, but suffering is optional," is a platitude within the Alcoholics Anonymous organization. Or, as Bob Duggan (one of my acupuncture mentors and founder of Tai Sophia Institute, currently known as the Maryland University of Integrative Health) repeatedly said during his life, "Upset is optional."

So, how have you dealt with your recent life challenges? Have you struggled and grown? Are you feeling stuck and miserable? I have included the following story called The Parable of the Farmer and the Wheat (as told by Osho) to demonstrate how challenges are part of life and can bear beautiful fruit.

The Parable of the Farmer and the Wheat

Preface:

Misery only means that things are not fitting with your desires--and things never fit with your desires, they cannot. Things simply go on following their nature. Lao Tzu calls this nature Tao. Buddha calls this nature Dharma. Mahavir has defined religion as "the nature of things." Nothing can be done. Fire is hot and water is cool.

The wise man is one who relaxes with the nature of things, who follows the nature of things. And when you follow the nature of things, no shadow is cast. There is no misery. Even sadness is luminous then, even sadness has a beauty then. Not that sadness will not come--it will come, but it will not be your enemy. You will befriend it, because you will see its necessity. You will be able to see its grace, and you will be able to see why it is there and why it is needed.

The Parable:

I have heard an ancient parable – must be ancient, because God used to live on the Earth in those days. Slowly, slowly, he became very tired of man, because people would torture him continuously. In the middle of the night, somebody would knock and say, "Why have you done this? Why not do it this way?"

Everybody was advising; everybody was praying, and their prayers were contradictory. A man would come and would say, "Today, let there be sun, because I am going to wash my clothes."

And somebody else would come and he would say, "Today, let there be rain, because I am going to plant trees."

One day a man came, an old farmer, and he said, "Look, you may be God and you may have created the world, but one thing I must say to you: you are not a farmer, and you don’t know even the ABC of farming. And your whole nature and the functioning of your nature is so absurd, and this I say out of my whole life’s experience. You have to learn something."

God said, "What’s your advice?"

The farmer said, "You give me one year’s time and just let things be according to me and see what happens. There will be no poverty left!"

God was willing and one year was given to the farmer. Now it was according to his will that everything was happening. Naturally, the farmer asked the best, he thought only of the best – no thunder, no strong winds, no dangers for the crop. Everything comfortable, cozy, and he was very happy.

The wheat was growing so high! No dangers were there, no hindrances were there; everything was moving according to his desire. When he wanted sun, there was sun; when he wanted rain, there was rain, and as much as he wanted. In the old days sometimes it rained too much, and the rivers would be flooded, and the crops would be destroyed; and sometimes it would not rain enough, and the land would remain dry, and the crops would die… and sometimes something else…and sometimes something else. It was rare, very rare, that things were right. But this year everything was put right, mathematically right.

The wheat was growing so high, that the farmer was very happy. But when the crops were harvested, there was no wheat inside.

The farmer was surprised. He asked God, "What happened? What went wrong?"

God said, "Because there was no challenge, because there was no difficulty, because there was no conflict, no friction, because all was good, you avoided all that was bad, the wheat remained impotent. A little struggle is a must. Storms are needed, thunder, lightning is needed. They shake up the soul inside the wheat."

I believe that this parable is of immeasurable value for today and every day. If you are simply happy, happiness will lose all meaning. It would also be as if you were to write on a white board with a white marker. No one would be able to read it. You must write on a white board with a colored marker. What you write must be clear and comprehensible.

Night is needed as much as day. Sad days are as essential as joyful days. Does this make sense? Once you understand this, you can relax. Then you can say to God, "Do whatsoever you feel is right. If today clouds are needed, give me clouds. Just go on doing your will."

Challenges are inevitable, but suffering is optional. Life is full of duality, Yin and Yang. Learn that the challenges provide the opportunity for our personal growth. You have the gift of being alive. How great is the blessing of being alive and living life fully.

"The challenges we face in life are always lessons that serve our soul’s growth." - Marianne Williamson

"All the adversity I’ve had in my life, all my troubles and obstacles, have strengthened me. … You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you." - Walt Disney

Renee Lehman is a licensed acupuncturist, physical therapist, with
over 33 years of health care experience. She can be reached at 717-752-5728. Her office in Gettysburg is located at 249B York Street.