The Three Functions of a Wanderer (why did we come here?)

[abstrktion]

At times, I ponder the act of Jehoshua, who took the weight of the world upon himself in order that the load may be lightened for others. If we consider that our problems were planned, it is likely that we follow a similar path: we came to lighten the load by taking on the troubles of this world in order to work them out for ourselves.

This has always moved me tremendously--and like you, I see my own struggles as having been chosen so that I could overcome them. Afterall, how can I bear witness that there is light on the other side of something if I've never been through it myself? I am grateful for some of the rigidity in one of the "religions" I was raised in (even though I've chosen not to raise my kids with those sexual hang-ups) because I learned self-discipline and it was through that religion that I touched the numinous involved in Christ's great gift to the world.