If we were to assume that life is not pointless and has meaning... I do see alot of learning in all these crazy defects, illnesses and suffering.

It seems like the soul has to learn to give up control. Let others take care of us. Other people or a higher power. Or maybe they are one in the same.

It's such a huge thing to realize we can't control our lives...we influence our lives but we do not have control.

That's the big first step that heals many addicts. That first step...I can't remember the wording but I understand the first steps basically encourage the individual to realize they can't control their addiction and turn over the reigns to their higher power (and each other)....And it works...Weird but true.

Religion can be a form of control or a way for us to control our reality, too. People who live beyond the rules, secularly, give up that control.

If we can realize and accept that we don't control anything, that we only have some influence on even our own lives...maybe so many harsh lessons wouldn't be presented to us. And the other side to those lessons are that though we can't always manage (control) our life on our own, many challenges are manageable when we depend on each other.

It's an interesting thought if we are all one organism made up of the illusion of being seperate parts and we are trying to teach ourself that single lesson through all kinds suffering. Suffering well joy as well because we learn interdependence through love and joy, too.

Funny how all the natural psychosocial developmental stages teach us autonomy when the real lesson (meaning?) in life is interdependence.

~Justine~