Quebec City gave me the opportunity to tell an old story! There is a parable describing being human in relation to a driver, horse, & carriage. This story is about being human. The driver is our brain and thoughts. The horse is our emotions. The carriage is our body. We have to have our head, heart, and body present and in good working order to be fully human.
In the story the driver wakes up hung over in a tavern and stumbles out into the street to find his horse and carriage in disrepair. He doesn’t remember how all of this happened or how long he has been there. Have you ever had this feeling? How did I get here? How long have I had this problem? Will things ever change?
Each of the three characters has a purpose. They can’t function without the other. Our emotions power us through each day. They are the source of our motivation and willingness. Emotions must be cared for, fed, watered, and bridled to give us the courage to go after our hopes and dreams (don’t interpret “bridled” as “suppressed”!).
If the carriage is not kept in good working order, it won’t carry us throughout the day. Patrons will not hire a carriage that is broken down. If we don’t keep ourselves healthy, it doesn’t matter how driven or intelligent we are. Our bodies are just as important as our minds and emotions.
All three of these centers require health and continuous care to be fully human. The critical part of the story is the driver waking up and taking responsibility for getting all three centers back in working order.
So which part of the story are you in? Are you still passed out, numbed out, mechanical in the tavern? Have you wandered out into the street, wondering how you got into this mess? Have you taken responsibility for your situation, regardless of how you got here? If you are blaming others for your lot in life, you are stuck in the hung over state, waiting for the world to change. It is up to you to get your thoughts, emotions, and body back in working order. Which part(s) need to be developed in you? – www.rhoadscoaching.com
finding meaning and purpose in daily life