Stability is not permanent
Chaos ultimately shatters our precious stability. Nothing is permanent.
           
Life is a mixture of tension between stability and chaos. We see this in nature: a storm thunders across a peaceful prairie. A blistering sun parches carefully tended crops. A seedling grows in the shadow of a decaying oak tree. The struggle with contradiction intrudes in all of our lives. A beloved child filled with life dies. A farmer in economic trouble loses his land and home to creditors after generations of careful stewardship. A beloved pet dies, or divorce tears a family apart. Instability is chaotic. Chaos disrupts the stability we have come to expect.

Loss of stability is a lightning bolt. It can wake us up, remind us of what is important, and stretch our capacity for compassion. Lightning bolts, though, have the capacity to destroy.

In the next Workbook activity, I’m going to ask you a question that you might find difficult to answer. If so, consider bypassing for the time being. You can return to it later if you wish.

5

Types of Loss