Melting Snow

Midweek Reflections: Reflections, Limitations & Experience

Wednesday, January 24, 2018

My limitations
are lessons for my spirit;
encouraging trust in God.

The "Blogging Circle of Friends "  prompt for DAY 1896:
Reflect on the following quote, and use it to inspire you blog entry. "There are three methods to gaining wisdom. The first is reflection, which is the highest. The second is limitation, which is the easiest. The third is experience, which is the bitterest." ~ Confucius

I think at the time Confucius made this statement, it was helpful to his followers and those who heard it, especially if they pondered it. I, also, believe that it can be helpful today, if one meditates on each of its components, and realizes that they are interconnected. The key to understanding one's limitations, and learning from one's experience is reflection or contemplation. Experience, confronting tests and difficulties, reveals our limitations as human beings. In order to understand, and overcome, these limitations we have to reflect on the experience and glean a lesson from our failures, which usually reveal our limitations. We learn our strengths form our successes, but it's our failures that are our best teachers.

A daily accounting, or reflection, on our interactions with other creatures (both human beings and lower animals) help us in our quest to deal with our limitations. I have to admit, I didn't realize how important a daily account was until I read The Hidden Words reveal by Baha'u'llah. In one of these beautiful gems Baha'u'llah says:

"O Son of Being!
Bring thyself to account each day ere thou art summoned to a reckoning; for death, unheralded, shall come upon thee and thou shalt be called to give account for thy deeds."1

By bringing ourselves to account each day, we learn our strengths, weaknesses, and the ways we can improve. There are several ways people can bring themselves to account. One way, which is probably the best way, is through prayer and meditations. Another way is through a journal entry where one states way they can improve. Either way, or a combination of the two, helps individuals to polish the mirrors of their souls, and reflect the spiritual attributes to humanity.

Footnotes
1  Part One: From the Arabic : Number 31.