Most of us admit that the future is uncertain. No one knows what the near or far future will be. We all has an idea that things will continue in their usual pattern, and in most cases they do. However this faith in continuity does not negate the fact that the future is unknown, and to most of us unknowable.
I've have a number of recent experiences that brought uncertainty home to me. Last Sunday while hanging the laundry on a sunny day in Boulder, the glass on the patio slider door popped and then shattered. The following day my desk lamp that had been a useful and welcome companion for many years broke off at the base. There is no control over random events as these, and although we all seek meaning in randomness, usually there is none available.
Uncertainty is evident in every sphere. One of the most profound thing that I learned in my training as a psychotherapist was the value of uncertainty in both my method of treatment and its eventual outcome. This gem of understanding allowed me to have hope for my clients, and also pull out a technique or approach not normally in my bag of tricks. Positive outcomes often resulted from these unusual interventions.
Of course not everyone (thank the stars) is a psychotherapist. However I have found uncertainty to be useful in whatever I do. When I cook, I always keep an open mind about ingredients and flavor. In the garden, I strive to trust that nature will produce what is necessary, although probably not what I had intended. In the world arena, I am very aware that I don't know what will happen next, or what the ultimate outcome will be of recent events. This uncertainty endows me with an ability to continue to do the things that I consider necessary, with hope, and some fortitude.
Being certain of an outcome, limits the creativity of the moment. Being certain of an outcome limits us as humans. Being certain of an outcome can lead to frustration when that outcome doesn't occur. Being uncertain allows us hope and the courage to keep on.
I've have a number of recent experiences that brought uncertainty home to me. Last Sunday while hanging the laundry on a sunny day in Boulder, the glass on the patio slider door popped and then shattered. The following day my desk lamp that had been a useful and welcome companion for many years broke off at the base. There is no control over random events as these, and although we all seek meaning in randomness, usually there is none available.
Uncertainty is evident in every sphere. One of the most profound thing that I learned in my training as a psychotherapist was the value of uncertainty in both my method of treatment and its eventual outcome. This gem of understanding allowed me to have hope for my clients, and also pull out a technique or approach not normally in my bag of tricks. Positive outcomes often resulted from these unusual interventions.
Of course not everyone (thank the stars) is a psychotherapist. However I have found uncertainty to be useful in whatever I do. When I cook, I always keep an open mind about ingredients and flavor. In the garden, I strive to trust that nature will produce what is necessary, although probably not what I had intended. In the world arena, I am very aware that I don't know what will happen next, or what the ultimate outcome will be of recent events. This uncertainty endows me with an ability to continue to do the things that I consider necessary, with hope, and some fortitude.
Being certain of an outcome, limits the creativity of the moment. Being certain of an outcome limits us as humans. Being certain of an outcome can lead to frustration when that outcome doesn't occur. Being uncertain allows us hope and the courage to keep on.
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