The Power of the Heart

Looking at life . . . when it comes to matters of the heart, even in the process of having our heart broken there is a sliver of sunshine upon us, a consolation prize that we may have lived a fuller life than those who played it safe.

If one is afraid to stick one's neck way out there, to put it all on the line, life not only eventually turns into a half breath of existence, it begins the path into an empty slow death spiral with a half hearted meaningless whimpering end.  Life actually begins at the edge of our comfort zone. Things will be scary at times, we will question so many parts of us and pieces of our psyche.  Putting one's spirit and soul on the line can be scary when rejection, pain, fear, and judgement are all worthy demons.

But to win big, one has to be willing to lose big. Have no regrets; go to the wall for things and people you believe in, those you trust in.  After all, the only other option is to settle, eventually leaving you screaming and begging for anything painful from the depths of your spirit and soul.  Beg for anything painful you ask ? Yes, beg, so that you can remember what pleasure is, that thing life promises to those who risk it all. Without pain, there is no true sense of pleasure. There is no sweet without the sour.  So, do not run when it hurts and gets scary, weather the storm, be the last one standing.  One of two things will happen, either the pain continues unrelenting, or you get to experience the bliss of life. 

The heart will make you do things that are atypical for you. It may make you run away or hunker down. It may make you fight to your death, a willingness to "go to the wall and risk losing it all".  The big question is, how far are you willing to go ? Are you willing to go just a little temporarily crazy or insane, or should I say, go to crazy and insane lengths for someone you love and believe in ? Most would argue no, that those lengths should never be the sacrifice.  But, there are some that are willing to, because that is how they love. If you are willing, that person speaks volumes as to their value to you. And I would argue that this is worth every ounce of blood lost, and every degree of crazy gained to fight for what is worth it to your heart. When it commands you to dare the devil to pack on all the pain he can, you know you have something worthy in front of you.  Stand and fight for these things, until you fall to your knees, with nothing left in you, and then get up one more time.  But fear not of the heart's pain, its ability to endure and heal may also bring you to new heights and depths of understanding of humanity, love, kindness, gratitude and generosity. However, realize there are no guarantees, you may actually lose a part of you in its clutches.  Without these risks, there is no possibility of life's grandest rewards.

So, do not run when it hurts, if you are brave enough.  Weather the storm, look up and welcome the pain of the stinging rain on your face, be the last one standing.  If you can endure when others crumble, one of two things will happen.  Either the pain will continue, and maybe for a lifetime if you are unlucky, or you will get to experience the bliss of life.  But, you may have to risk it all to have that chance. Ironically, even in the process of having our heart broken, and maybe even losing a piece of our sanity, we may have lived a fuller life than those who played it safe, experienced little, or ran when things became too much.

Make no mistake, sometimes our bet goes terribly against us, and we lose, big.  It happens, that is how life goes sometimes. It is the risk we take in going for it all, for putting it all on the line.  Some people can recover from this, some never do and that is tragic. But, again there is a sliver of sunshine, sometimes. When we are one of the very lucky few, we find someone who places just as big a bet on us in return. And that, that is the power of the heart. 

Every passing minute is another chance to turn it all around.  Life is short, risk it all, push in all your chips when someone really matters to you.  After all, the problem is . . .  we think we have time.

-Shawn

"The Power Of The Heart"
(originally by Lou Reed)
 

You and me we always sweat and we strain
you look for sun and I look for rain
we're different people, we're not the same
the power of the sun
I looked for treetops, you looked for caps
above the water, where the waves snap back
I flew around the world to bring you back
ah the power of the heart

you looked at me and I looked at you
the sleeping heart was shining through
the wispy cobwebs that we're breathing through
the power of the heart
I looked at you and you looked at me
I thought of the past, you thought of what could be
I asked you once again to marry me
the power of the heart

Everybody says love makes the world go round
I hear a bubbling and I hear a sound
of my heart beating and I turn around
and find you standing at the door
you know me I like to dream a lot
of this and that and what is not
and finally I figured out what was what
it was the power of the heart

You and me we sweat and strain
the result is always the same
you think somehow we're in a game
the power of the heart
the power of the heart

I think I'm dumb I know you're smart
the beating of a purebred heart
I say this to you and it's not a lark
marry me today
You know me I like to dream a lot
of what there is and what there's not
but mainly I dream of you a lot
the power of the heart
the power of the heart