Life’s Many Unfinished Symphonies

"When we fail to mourn properly our incomplete lives, then this incompleteness becomes a gnawing restlessness, a bitter centre that robs our lives of delight. Because we do not mourn, we demand that someone or something – a marriage partner, an ideal family, having children, an achievement, a vocational goal or a job – take all of our loneliness away. That of course, is an unreal expectation which invariably leads to bitterness and disappointment. In this life there is no finished symphony. We are built for eternity. Because of that we will, this side of eternity, always be to some extent lonely, restless, incomplete." — Ronald Rolheise, Finding Spirituality

Symphony summons images, sounds of harmony through movements.  We strive for harmony, a synthesis of movements.  We all start a symphony but may find that it does not resonate, so we leave it unfinished and start to create a new symphony.  Many of life's symphonies remain incomplete.  Many of our hopes and dreams will never come to fruition, which does not mean we should not have them.

When we leave the incomplete, why the regret?  We are only leaving what is unfinished - not ourselves.  Being sad about some of these unfinished agendas, while at the same time celebrating what we have accomplished, seems an appropriate response.  Becoming aware of what may remain incomplete can help us to move into a more gentle, and honest, estimation of ourselves.  That kind of inner journey can be rewarding and healing.  A friend once confided that for him, life was all about 'releasing our baggage every day'.  As Michael Leunig said, 'God, give me the strength to hold on, and the strength to let go' - a great prayer for all of us.