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“Possibility WITHIN the problem?”

Joan C King

When a problem arises how do you approach it? Do you avoid identifying the situation as a problem so that you can ignore it? Or, do you wrestle with it, try to throw it down and demand it to give up so you can be done with it? Most want to dispense of it as soon as possible so that life can continue uninterrupted. In contrast, Horace, the Roman poet, reminds us that “Adversity has the effect of eliciting talents, which in prosperous circumstances would have lain dormant.” To elicit those talents, however, we have to be willing to stay in the question of the problem. Krishnamurti, born in British India and author of multiple books, tells us, “To ask the ‘right’ question is far more important than to receive the answer. The solution of a problem lies in the understanding of the problem; the answer is not outside the problem, it is in the problem.” If this assignment appeals to you, this week, pick a problem as the object of your focus. Consider the problem, calm your mind which might immediately begin generating solutions, and ask “What might be the possibility lying hidden in this problem? What’s the question I have not asked? What talent might I use to expose the question and the possibility?” Then ask the question and take the action suggested. Yes, you will need courage to do this. Amelia Earhart, the first female aviator to fly solo across the Atlantic, states “Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.” Remember her words when you want to turn away from the problem. “Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.”

Listen to the Jolt