There are so many different experiences in life, some thrilling or some tragic, and depending on the reaction to the experience (including “not reacting”), the people who survive them and digest them over time (and sometimes a lot of time!), end up coming to somewhat similar conclusions – a renewed perception of the beauty of life!
For example the ordeal of dealing with a handicapped child changed this gentleman Barry Neil Kaufman, which eventually led him to write a book “Happiness is a choice”. Here is an excerpt from his website:
——— excerpt ———–
Years ago, following the publication of my first book about the uplifting journey my family took to heal our special child (once neurologically impaired and dysfunctional), I spoke with a man who had written quite a different saga. He documented what he experienced as the difficult and damning reality of parenting a “less- than-perfect” youngster. He declared without apology that be hated people like me.
“You take something that’s terrible,” be said flatly, “and make believe it’s beautiful.”
I considered his point of view for a moment. “Did you ever consider,” I asked softly, “that you might be taking something that’s beautiful and making believe it’s terrible?”
At that moment, I realized that neither one of us held the truth, only a vision we had each created and then used to embrace our situation. I had decided to see my son and his difficulties as an opportunity to grow, learn and love. He regarded his situation as a curse. Our different experiences had followed from those distinctly different visions.
source: Book: Happiness is a choice
——— end excerpt ———–
Another example is late Superman actor Chistopher Reeves, after he got paralyzed. Here is an exceprt based on a news article describing the incident and the impact it had on him:
——— excerpt ———–
Reeve’s life changed completely after he broke his neck in May 1995 when he was thrown from his horse during an equestrian competition.
Enduring months of therapy to allow him to breathe for longer and longer periods without a respirator, Reeve emerged to lobby Congress for better insurance protection against catastrophic injury and to move an Academy Award audience to tears with a call for more films about social issues.
“Hollywood needs to do more,” he said in the March 1996 Oscar awards appearance. “Let’s continue to take risks. Let’s tackle the issues. In many ways our film community can do it better than anyone else. There is no challenge, artistic or otherwise, that we can’t meet.”
Source: CNN on Christopher Reeve
——— end excerpt ———–
Anyway in case of Reeves as well as Barry, they came to such conclusions after some particular castastrophic incidents.
I’ve come to believe that meditation is simply another such experience… with similar results, but simpler and gentler… less dependent on random incidents.
Somewhat related…
Wrt Reeves, see a radically different perspective of the same incident:
Maddox on Christopher Reeve
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