Must Be Present To Win

I found a discarded stub for a drawing that took place days ago. Date, time and location were crisply printed above the phrase, "Must Be Present To Win." I don't know what the prize or prizes may have been but that stub was my prize today.

I cannot live life at a distance. I have to be fully immersed in life to truly live it. In the past I was trained to be an observer of my surroundings. That is my major bone of contention with DBT as I studied it; the focus on observation rather than engagement.

My Christian faith has taught me of the need to reach beyond myself, to make contact with as much of God's creation as I can. In the process I have been exposed to some interesting observations of other faith systems.

In the Hindu culture exist several depictions of the "Shiva Nata Raja," or Dancing Shiva - dancing god. In one such statuette, Shiva dances on the back of a crouched man studying something in his hands. The man is so caught up in his introspective thought that he doesn't notice god dancing on his back.

I think we are here for a number of reasons, chief among them is to learn to love better. I have learned many of these lessons through both "winning" and "losing." All that must be done is to show up for class and participate in the discussion. You must be present to win.