IMPERTURBABILITY

I think Charles Allen said it first. "When faced with problems which
threaten to steal your peace of mind, learn the meaning of the word
'imperturbability.'"

I heard of two artists who were asked to illustrate peace. Each was
assigned the task of depicting a peaceful scene on canvas.

The first artist drew a beautiful picture of a countryside on a warm,
spring day. A soft sun illumines green grass and bathes a picturesque
farmhouse and grazing cattle in its warmth. A farmer walks
contentedly behind strong plow horses preparing his field for spring
planting. The picture is one of beauty and quiet tranquility.

The other artist took a different approach. He drew a majestic,
rugged cliff. Gnarled trees, twisted by years of violent winds, jut
from the craggy mountainside. Dark clouds hang low and fierce while
jagged streaks of lightening slash across an angry sky. The picture
is one of violence, chaos and rage.

But as one looks closely, something else becomes visible. There in
one of the crevices of the rocky mountain, tucked back just out of
reach of the wind and rain - a nest with two small birds. Apparently
unconcerned about the impending storm, they appear calm, cozy and
peaceful as they patiently wait for the turbulence to pass.

And isn't that the way it so often is? We may want to be surrounded
by peace, but storms rage. Problems and pressures without threaten to
steal peace of mind within.

The answer is imperturbability: inner peace that doesn't leave when
circumstances change. It's a peace that is greater than the problems
of life, built on assurance that the tempest will finally pass, that
we will survive the storm, that we may grow stronger because of it
and, in the meantime, we will not endure it alone.

Imperturbability - it's the result of a peace that passes
understanding. For serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace
amid the storm.
__________

Steve Goodier Publisher@LifeSupportSystem.com is a professional
speaker, consultant and author of numerous books. Visit his site for
more information, or to sign up for his FREE newsletter of Life, Love
and Laughter at http://LifeSupportSystem.com.