Most of us long for something that remains vexingly out of reach. It might be an internal change – more self-esteem, the ability to tolerate life’s ups and downs with less anxiety, or an increased capacity for joy. There might also be longing for something external – a partner, new home, work that is meaningful and financially stable.
Whatever our longing holds, for many, it’s tempting to either push the longing away, or feel trapped by it, pulled into an ornate web of frustrated desire, resentment, or envy.
There’s courage in staying with longing when it arises, feeling its intensity, while also coming to know that the outcome remains uncertain. When we can tolerate feeling this sense of need or desire, often experienced as a gnawing emotional hunger, something unexpected can open within us: a deeper trust that longing is laden with meaning. After all, we don’t all long for the same things.
Each one of us has a uniquely felt vision of what life can entail. And each one of us is charged with the formidable challenge of staying the course, consciously working with these visions while respecting the gap between what is longed for and what is accessible in a given moment.
When we can hang in there without getting consumed by frustration or impatience, the longing itself can begin to inform a life of increased curiosity about the life you are currently living and the life you are uniquely destined for.
When What You Long for Remains Elusive
