My mum found the quote below in a book about Joy Cowley that she was reading. I loved both the question and the answer and they really helped me put the whole spiritual Vs human stuff into perspecitive. If you dont know who Joy is she is an exceptional NZ writer who also happens to live in Featherston. You can find more info on her and her incredible books at www.joycowley.com
You’ve said you often find help in unexpected places. How do you think your childhood experiences have shaped you as both a person and a writer?
Now I can see a straight path from there to here, although at any other time in my life I would have thought I was all over the place, and I think that’s so for all of us.
This is a personal view - I don’t think that we are human beings on a spiritual journey. I think we are spiritual beings on a human journey, and the journey is life experience. We reach a stage when we realise that everything that’s happened to us, every single thing has been a beneficial teacher.
Some people close to a time of loss or a time of tragedy would not agree with that. But ten years down the track they might find that the darkness has made great compost for new growth.
I have a feeling that someone needed to hear this today.