Barriers
Topic: Spirituality
Ah, the frustration of barriers placed in our path, preventing us from achieving a goal, from moving forward, from acquiring, from happiness. We could do without them, don't you think? Or could we?

Barriers come in many forms - from psychological blocks that we place on ourselves due to past experiences, to detours created by other people walking their paths and interfering with our plans, to "life" barriers that pop up unexpectedly and unexplainably.

Barriers play a major role in our journey through life. Just as roadblocks and detour signs guide us safely through our land, avoiding dangerous situations, so do barriers in our lives.

On a human level we could do without many of the barriers life provides and some never make sense. But there is a bigger picture, one that we may never see completely. The number of times that our actions, our detours, have provided others with what they need to walk their path we may never know. One person’s actions affect everything that takes place in our world, one way or another.

And then there is our personal journey – it is not the end result that is what life is about it is the journey itself. Each barrier provides a lesson for us. It is an opportunity for growth, for self-awareness, and to change our goals to become more Self directed rather than self directed. Perhaps we want to become a lawyer for the financial benefits and the title but barriers in our path keep directing us to becoming an artist where our passions lie, our spirit can shine. We can ignore the barriers and continue our pursuit of being a lawyer, that is the gift of freewill. Perhaps we weigh the benefits and decide that to truly “live” it is better to follow the heart than the bank account. Or perhaps we can listen to the barriers and do both. Perhaps.

I have learned during my life struggles that when the barrier has been overcome there is a wonderful experience at the end of it. That wonder might be very small but the impact is large, when I let it in. Now, when times are tough I often smile and even get excited knowing that I am in the process of discovery. I know and trust that when this time in my life is over that I will be a better person having gained some human or spiritual benefits from the experience.

I also believe that some experiences are beyond our human understanding and that some barriers have no positive outcome on this level of awareness. I trust that in the bigger picture there is a purpose. Perhaps it was my goal in this life to experience such a trauma and so in the after-life I can say “oh so that is what that is like”. I can not “know” this but I can believe this and this belief, this faith, will hold me up.

Barriers - opportunities for awareness, for growth, and for trust.

-Debbie Roswell-P, www.lifeunfolding.ca