The world breaks everyone and afterward many are strong at the broken places. But those that will not break it kills.

– Ernest Hemingway

Life is difficult and sometimes it can be overwhelming.

Pressure, stress and anxiety builds up. Little by little this toxic energy grows inside our mind and bodies threatening to eventually destroy us if we don’t deal with it.

The body’s inbuilt survival system screams out for our attention but we choose to ignore it, thinking it will simply go away and everything will be all right again.

The body keeps score. You can’t fool it.

I have found that there is no greater pressure than the unrelenting pain that I can inflict on my own mind, body and spirit. The physical and mental torture slowly adds up to become a mighty torrent, powerful enough to sweep me away.

The only solution left is to let it go.

The harder I hold on to it, the heavier it becomes and promises to overwhelm all my abilities and take me down to the depths with it.

Letting go is hard and counter intuitive. I seem to have so much of myself invested in my pain and suffering that I end up holding on rather than letting go.

There is a way out.

The welcoming prayer below by Father Thomas Keating challenges me to let go and move forward. The words speak to me.

They are difficult to utter but the only way forward when I am being held in a choke hold by circumstances beyond my control.

The Welcoming Prayer

By Father Thomas Keating

Welcome, welcome, welcome.

I welcome everything that comes to me today because I know it’s for my healing.

I welcome all thoughts, feelings, emotions, persons, situations, and conditions.

I let go of my desire for power and control.

I let go of my desire for affection, esteem, approval and pleasure.

I let go of my desire for survival and security.

I let go of my desire to change any situation, condition, person or myself.

I open to the love and presence of God and God’s action within.

Amen.