[2021-01-03] What are you here to teach me?
As evidence that I don't have life all figured out, my Fitbit sleep score was a mediocre 78 last night—nowhere near the 91 I had had the night before.
In the middle of the night, during a period of wakefulness, I read my news feed (which does not promote sleepiness and I should know better) and then searched for a podcast on Spotify in the hopes that that would put me back to sleep. I found Oprah Winfrey's 1993 interview with psychiatrist M. Scott Peck, author of The Road Less Traveled.
What stood out for me in this half-hour discussion was a story Oprah told of a dream she had had. In the dream, she is flying around a neighbourhood and encounters children, to whom she says: "Hi, how are you doing?" They respond: "No, you're supposed to say, 'What are you here to teach me?'"
"I awakened from the dream," said Oprah, "believing, or understanding somehow, that that's what every life experience is about."
In that spirit, today I asked Cancer, "What are you here to teach me?"
Cancer had a list.
- Loving and being loved are the greatest goals in life: make a living but not at the expense of time spent with loved ones.
- Time is precious: act as though you have less time than you think.
- Life is hard: expect that there will be rain, but don't miss the rainbows.
- Lived experience has value beyond the individual: tell your story.
- Each person has a unique contribution to make to the world: find your voice and don't be afraid to share your art.
- The present moment is the only moment we have for sure: enjoy today.
- Life brings with it many distractions: turn off the distractions when you can so that you can be present for the ones you love.
- Life doesn't always go to plan: be prepared to redefine your purpose.
- Joy exists in the little things: don't wait for big things to be happy.
- Everyone we meet is changed by the encounter: remind yourself that you are more loved, respected and valued than you'll ever know.
While I'm not sure that I would apply Oprah's question in response to every life experience, I do think that there's value in posing the question "What are you here to teach me?" when facing significant, life-changing events or when wondering why certain people have come into our lives.
For his part, M. Scott Peck noted in his interview with Oprah that "we are here to learn." I feel that I've learned a lot since being diagnosed with cancer and changing my lifestyle to focus on my health—perhaps most significantly that health is the foundation of all things in life.
