Posted by Joseph (24.69.255.237) on September 12, 2003 at 00:36:11:
In Reply to: Relationship & Religion posted by Kathleen on August 18, 2003 at 16:58:25:
Dearest Kathleen:
Thank you so much for your question. I truly admire the humility you showed when you wrote it. Having to choose between two people is never easy. I think the position you’re taking is a very strong one and one that will lead you to further openness.
As far as deciding between your two prospective partners, I would want to caution you from choosing at this time. The reason why I say this is because, just as God has taken the more recent partner out of your life and given him reason to think, God has also put the old flame back into your world giving all of you fodder from which to grow.
I’m not sure what realizations and awareness’s have and will occur for you as a result of this, Kathleen, but I do know that had this not happened, the opportunity to grow from this would not be here.
My suggestion is, don’t choose. Instead, look at this situation and say, “ Okay, God, I don’t know what you want from me or why this is happening, but until I get the answer to this mystery, I’m going to be in this situation no matter what”! AND “I’m going to treat myself and those around me with honesty, integrity, compassion, and sincerity, no matter how uncomfortable the not knowing can get”!
You see, Kathleen, you can choose whom to be with, but ultimately you want to be with the one that God wants you to be with. In order to figure that out, you have to take the journey in the way in which God has presented it.
As you travel down this path, a newer and stronger sense of self will emerge. And from the depths of that self, your answer WILL come to the surface. It cannot be otherwise.
Take care, Kathleen. And if you need a sounding board to help you process and integrate some of the insights that you are gleaning from your journey, I would be honored to sit with you.
Joseph