Life Without Easy Answers

I’ve spent twenty five years plus working with individuals and couples, helping them to create positive change in their lives.

Ten of those years were spent in a full time private practice as a psychotherapist.

Over the years, I’ve learned at least a little about life, people, change, joy and pain.

I’ve learned a lot about myself.

My successes have taught me a lot.

And pain has taught me a lot. Pain I’ve inflicted on myself and pain I’ve caused others.

When I left home for college, I understood life. Well, I thought I did.

It turns out I didn’t. Not by a long shot.

I grew up in an environment where the all the answers were given to me.

If anyone had any questions about life, including “God,” the answers were right there in black and white.

Over the years, I discovered the hard way, that life, including “God” is far from black and white.

I had to let go of life with easy answers. Or it was going to destroy me.

I needed to embrace life without easy answers.

It wasn’t easy, and the process almost did me in.

It was messy and painful. It was agonizing.

I’ve heard a lot of “answers” to life’s tough questions. Answers ranging from extremely conservative Christian thinking to mind blowing metaphysical thinking.

And here’s what I’ve concluded: It’s all opinion.

Nobody knows for sure when it comes to the tough questions about life.

I’ve had clients who have lived through or with everything from…

Rape
Sexual abuse beyond what you could imagine
Severe mental and emotional abuse
Severe abuse from their churches
Schizophrenia
Horrible medical conditions that ended their lives
Lives being torn apart by a psychopath
Parents of adolescents or grown children who committed suicide
Alcoholism and drug addiction
Financial ruin that was beyond their control

I could go on, but that’s enough. I’m sure it wasn’t pleasant reading.

It wasn’t pleasant working with my clients who dealt with these things, but it was more meaningful and humbling than I could put into words.

Through them, and through experiences in my own life (that I wouldn’t wish on anyone) I’ve learned that for many things in life, there are no easy answers.

It’s kind of ironic, because that’s a pretty black and white statement.

But, it’s the best I can do on the subject.

I don’t mean there’s not any hope or comfort to be had. If there’s one thing I’ve learned, human beings are unbelievably resilient. In a mind boggling way.

I just mean there’s not any easy answers to some things.

I think we are here on earth to learn, grow and love. Especially to love and be loved.

Still, life is often complex, messy and overwhelming…and without “easy answers.”

I would love to hear what you think.