"Starting very early,
life has taught all of us to ignore and distrust the
deepest yearnings of our heart. Life for the most part, teaches us to suppress our longings and live only in the
external world where efficiency and performance are
everything. We have learned that...something else is wanted from us other than our heart, which is to say, that which is more deeply us. Very seldom are we ever invited to live out of our heart. If we are wanted, we are often wanted for what we can offer functionally. If rich, we are honored for our wealth; if
beautiful, for our looks, if
intelligent, for our brains. So we learn to
offer only those parts of us that are
approved, living out a
carefully crafted performance to gain
acceptance from those who represent
life to us. We divorce ourselves from our heart and begin to live a
double life."
-
The Sacred Romance:Drawing Closer to the Heart of God written by Brent Curtis and John Eldredge, 1997
The late Brent Curtis was a counselor in a private practice. He was killed in a climbing accident in 1998.
"
Freedom to
live, to
love, to
recover and follow those
deep desires and find a life worth living—this is the song of the
ransomed heart. This is what Jesus said He came to do—to
heal our hearts and set them
free" (Isaiah 61:1-3).
George Gray
"I have studied many times
The marble which was chiseled for me--
A boat with a furled sail at rest in a harbor.
In
truth it pictures not my
destination
But my
life.
For
love was offered me and I shrank from its
disillusionment;
Sorrow knocked at my door, but I was
afraid;
Ambition called to me, but I dreaded the
chances.
Yet all the while I hungered for
meaning in my
life.
And now I know that we must lift the sail
And catch the winds of
destiny
Wherever they drive the boat.
To put
meaning in one's
life may end in
madness,
But
life without
meaning is the
torture
Of
restlessness and vague
desire--
It is a boat
longing for the sea and yet
afraid."
-written by
Edgar Lee Masters from
Spoon River Anthology
In the Anthology, the
buried hauntingly tell the details about their lives.
To me, all these represent this--It is in our heart that we discover our
purpose in life. To ignore your heart's desire and voice is to lead a life without purpose. Sometimes people just "go through the motions" and never truly
live. I know I have.