At the suggestion of Gregg Braden in a continuing education course I am taking on resilience, we watched the film “127 Hours.” If you are not familiar with the film, it is the true story of a man named Aron Ralston, an extreme hiker, who was trapped in a desolate canyon, pinned down by a 800 pound boulder for over 5 days. He finally had to amputate his own arm to release himself.

I hesitated to watch this film when I heard what it was about because it is hard for me to watch any kind of violence. It was unlike me to watch something that made me cringe even when Gregg spoke about it. However, I knew I needed to see this story. There was something in it for me, Rita.

And so, after turning my head away during the very graphic scenes, I am thankful that I went on the journey with Aron Ralston through this excellently produced piece of film art. I gained something from it that I will never forget. It is the knowing that the human spirit (you and I) are capable mentally, emotionally and physically of more than we can ever imagine. When we are driven by the intense desire to live, to know that being alive is the integral, mandatory, we can overcome anything.

This is something that every individual knows for him/herself. It is not the same, of course for all of us. This knowing comes from deep within the crevices of our being, just as it came to Aron deep in the crevices within the rock that caught him in its grasp. That hand caught within that rock was his old life that needed to be torn from him so he could live the life that was his true destiny.

We’ve all been between a rock and a hard place at some point in our life. What we do during that time determines everything. I believe that I am within that place right now, as I experience COVID 19 and all that it means in the forward movement of my life, my ministry and for CSL Kaua`i. I must be true to myself and tear away all the old beliefs that no longer serve me and the life I am being dared to live. I must get the clear vision of my future as shown to me by a mind that is cleared of all restrictions, limitations and outside conditions. I must get the clear vision of true freedom.

Aron Ralston had to amputate his own arm to complete this journey to the self. The Universe gives us what is ours to do and the longer we delay the heeding and prompting of the Universe, the thicker and more difficult the journey gets. The call is to be true to oneself, not in a stubborn, egotistical way, but in a true state of being coming from the highest consciousness of love. We know when we know and nothing can deter us from this path. It twists and turns and takes us exactly where we need to be at just the right moment in every moment. We are free.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita