There is a story from the Taoist tradition in the “Inner Teachings” of Chuang-tzu.

“Hui-tzu said to Chuang Tzu, “The King of Wei gave me seeds of a giant gourd. I planted them and got a huge gourd. If I had filled it with water, it would not have been strong enough to be lifted, and If I had split it for a dipper it would have been too shallow to should anything. It was certainly enormous, but I considered it useless and smashed it.”

Chuang-tzu replied “You are certainly inept when it comes to employing the great… Why not make a coracle out of it and use it sail on rivers and lakes instead of worrying about it being too shallow to hold anything? You are still confused it seems.”

Sometimes life (The King Of Wei) apparently has a way of giving us what we don’t want (the oversize gourd). This life experience (it could be debt, or a health issue) after some contemplation, could be considered useless, so we smash it (or hide from it, or bury it deep inside us). With the application of engaged creativity, from a place of serenity, we can transform this experience into something that we can take advantage of.

Quite often, it takes a disaster or catastrophe of some kind before we allow ourselves to do those things in our hearts to do. When we do this, we experience what we are truly here for: Peace, aliveness, and self-expression.

It seems to be the human story that out of great suffering comes great beauty.”

Excerpt from “Soul Expression” – Creating Your Life From Serenity” by Louis Parsons. Available soon.