I quote, therefore I think: Eventually, we understand

And I think:

More than a directive, this is a summoning. It is a pivotal element in what author Richard Rohr calls the second half of life.

(The first half is about surviving and building a life that satisfies our superficial and social needs, while the second half is discovering that a deeper, spiritual journey is our real purpose, and for which the first-half accomplishments are inadequate and incomplete.)

It is in this second half that we appreciate and make efforts to make space, both psychologically and spiritually; to look at our shadow self and square our shoulders and deal with the dark, messy, uncomfortable parts of ourselves we’ve avoided till now. It is here that we delve deeper, it is here we begin to see and progress on the path to growth, toward our true self.

We move from reacting to acceptance to response. We stop resisting; we understand.

This is inner work at its core, and it is hard inner work.

With all due respect to Mr. Spinoza, however, every now and then we need to get the weeping and waxing indignant out the way (and perhaps some Netflix) before we are willing, open and ready to understand.