To become nobody but your true self and to struggle against the tide of sameness and the false security of simply fitting in is a fight worth having.… - Michael J. Meade

Searching outside oneself for what can only be found within can lead to a life lived in the wrong direction and sacrifices made for the wrong reasons. People can wind up alienated from themselves even if they achieve lofty goals set by others.

As many old teachings suggest, bringing forth that which is in our nature will save us, while failing to bring forth our genuine nature
will doom us. The real risk in this life has always been that of becoming oneself amidst the uncertainties of existence. As an Irish poet once said, 'a false sense of security is the only kind there is.

Wisdom can reveal the light hidden in dark times; but it requires that we face the darkness in ourselves. People may desire pearls of wisdom, yet most are unwilling to descend to the depths where the pearls wait to be found. Wisdom involves a necessary descent into the depths of life, for that alone can produce ‘lived knowledge’ and a unified vision.