Enlightened acceptance

If I could define enlightenment briefly I would say it is
"the quiet acceptance of what is."   -Wayne Dyer


I really like and appreciate this line from Wayne.  Perhaps I like it because of the use of the word "acceptance" in relation to enlightenment.  Perhaps I like it because of his use of the word "quiet."  No matter what the reasons for which I like it, though, it's a very important line for me because it tells me a lot about enlightenment and the paths I should be striving for in life if I actually want to reach some level of being enlightened.

Enlightenment really is quiet.  You don't see it in the lives of braggarts and blowhards--in fact, you probably don't recognize enlightenment too often because those who are enlightened have absolutely no need to make their enlightenment known.  Sometimes we get enlightened people who are in the public eye, such as the Dalai Lama or Mother Teresa, but for the most part I'm pretty sure that the vast majority of enlightened people are among us every day, sharing our lives with us, witnessing our actions and reactions, and simply accepting us as we are.

Enlightenment, I believe, has to contain acceptance of the way things are because there really is no way to affect the way things are.  We can work to change situations, but that affects the future present moments, not right now.  So it's important that we realize that things are the way they are, and wishing they were different leads only to frustration and aggravation, not to constructive action.

Right now, you are who you are.  Next week, you'll be a slightly different person (or possibly a very different person if something drastic happens to you).  Accept that, and work with it for what it is.  Right now, our political situation is what it is.  Next week, it can be slightly different with a bit of input from people who haven't given input before, or a bit more input from people who have been trying for a while to improve things.  The enlightened person realizes that things are as they are.  They don't always have to be that way--and in fact, they're bound to change one way or another eventually--but wishing they were different is an ineffective way to approach our lives.