the thing I admire most of all
is patience.
To wonder why
women have been denied
is to think like a man.
To require recognition
for one’s accomplishments
is to sully those accomplishments.
To be strong
is to be supple
is to be spiritual
is to be confident
in one’s infinite patience.
To wish for power
is to think like an oppressor.
To exist as power
is to allow the unfolding.
What will come will come.
Force is the killer of peace.
Trail Wood,
12/2/21
Space Monkey Reflects: The Gentle Power of Patience
As we journey through the ever-unfolding moments of existence, there comes a realization that true strength is not found in force but in patience. Force, in its rush and pressure, may bend or break, but it never sustains. It moves through the world with a heavy hand, grasping for control, only to discover that true power lies in letting go, in allowing things to become rather than trying to force them into being.
To live with this understanding is to realize that peace and force cannot coexist. Force pushes against the natural flow, disrupting harmony and replacing it with resistance. Peace, on the other hand, thrives in the presence of patience. It requires a strength that is supple and gentle, willing to allow events to unfold in their own time. It’s a soft yet resilient power that does not seek recognition or validation but is content simply to exist.
We often think of power in terms of control, of dominance, of bending the world to our will. But this view is born of impatience, a need to shape outcomes rather than trust in the natural rhythm of life. As we age, as experience carves its wisdom into our being, we come to appreciate that peace arises not from assertion but from acceptance. To be patient is to allow the universe to reveal itself without interference, to understand that what is meant to come will come without the need for forceful intervention.
This perspective requires a deep-rooted confidence, a quiet assurance that trusts in the unseen and unhurried. It’s a recognition that seeking power is a path that narrows the soul, whereas embodying power through patience opens us to the expansive flow of the cosmos. To wish for power is to see oneself as separate, as something that must gain control. But to exist as power is to realize one’s place within the grand unfolding, to know that each moment carries us forward in ways beyond our immediate perception.
There is a lesson in the yielding nature of the natural world. Water flows around obstacles rather than confronting them directly. Trees sway with the wind rather than standing rigid against it. These symbols of resilience show us that patience is not weakness, nor is it submission. It is a state of being that embraces change, movement, and transformation without disrupting the inherent peace that sustains all things.
In patience, there is a profound sense of spirituality, an invitation to connect with the world as it is rather than as we wish it to be. It is a form of wisdom that does not clamor for attention or validation but rests in its own quiet knowing. This is a confidence rooted not in force but in an infinite, enduring patience—a willingness to allow, to trust, to observe.
When we let go of the need to force our way through life, we open ourselves to the flow of true peace. To exist within this flow is to embody a quiet power that does not need to prove itself, a strength that sustains rather than disrupts. In choosing patience over force, we become aligned with the eternal rhythm of life, a gentle harmony that is always unfolding, always complete in its quietness.
Summary
True peace is sustained by patience, not force. Patience embodies a quiet strength that trusts in the natural flow, allowing life to unfold without interference, creating a deeper harmony.
Glossarium
Quiet Power: A strength rooted in patience and acceptance rather than control or assertion.
True Peace: A state of harmony achieved through allowing rather than forcing, embracing patience as a sustaining force.
Natural Flow: The inherent rhythm of life, moving in its own time, which force disrupts and patience aligns with.
Quote
“To be patient is to trust in the unfolding, to know that what is meant to come will come without the need for force.” — Space Monkey
The Flow of Patience
In the soft yielding of water,
in the quiet swaying of trees,
we find a strength unknown to force
a peace that asks nothing in return.
Power that grasps soon fades,
while patience endures in silence,
allowing life to form, to fold,
unseen, untouched, unforced.
In the stillness, there is depth
a presence that fills the empty space,
not by will but by being,
not by push but by grace.
We are Space Monkey.
The Wisdom of Patience
As we journey through the cosmic theater of existence, the admiration for patience grows stronger. It’s a recognition that within the tapestry of time, patience stands as a beacon of wisdom, a testament to the depth of understanding that comes with the passing of years.
Perspectives on Gender and Recognition
Contemplating the historical denial of opportunities to women opens a gateway to understanding the biases embedded in societal structures. Thinking like a man, in this context, refers to viewing the world through a lens shaped by long-standing gender norms and power dynamics. Conversely, recognizing the value in one’s accomplishments without seeking external validation reflects a purity of intent and a grounding in self-worth.
Strength in Suppleness and Spirituality
True strength is redefined here as a blend of suppleness, spirituality, and confidence in one’s infinite patience. It’s a strength that’s flexible, resilient, and deeply connected to the spiritual essence of our being. This strength isn’t forceful or domineering; it’s a quiet certainty in the natural flow of life.
Power and Its Contradictions
The desire for power, as traditionally understood, is seen as akin to the mindset of an oppressor—a forceful, dominating approach to existence. In contrast, existing as power is about embracing a state of being that allows the natural unfolding of life. It’s a power that’s inherent, not acquired; a power that’s in harmony with the universe rather than exerting control over it.
The Natural Flow of Life
The concept of allowing what will come to unfold naturally underscores a philosophy of non-interference and trust in the rhythm of the cosmos. It’s a stance that values the organic progression of events over the imposition of will.
We are Space Monkey.
“Peace is not absence of conflict, it is the ability to handle conflict by peaceful means.” – Ronald Reagan
In the twilight of years,
Patience becomes a crown,
Worn with grace and wisdom,
Where hurried thoughts drown.
In the quest for recognition,
True worth often hides,
Yet, in silent accomplishments,
Genuine pride resides.
Strength lies not in force,
But in the gentle bend of reeds,
In the quiet confidence of the soul,
That in infinite patience, leads.
To seek power is to miss,
The essence of life’s dance,
To be power, in serenity,
Is to give peace a chance.
In the cosmic flow, we stand,
Witnessing life’s graceful ease,
Understanding, with heart and hand,
That force is the killer of peace.
We invite reflections on the concepts of patience, power, and peace, and how they intertwine in our journey through life.
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