"There is a time for everything,
and a season for every activity under the heavens...
A time to scatter stones and a time to gather them..."
Ecclesiastes 3:1-5
What is the purpose of life if not to make yourself whole? What is the nature of the soul if not to be complete? Humans have the distinct predisposition of being wanderers throughout the world for the entirety of their lives. We get to choose whether or not we wander through this wilderness with a purpose or in search of nothing at all. The subjectivity of experiencing life is an immensely interesting concept when you consider the fact that no one experiences reality in the exact same way as you do. Finding wholeness in the midst of an otherwise fragmented life is perhaps one of the greatest journeys anyone can ever embark on. We come into this world without any clue of how to exist, only to be given modes of existence from our society, culture, and environment. Despite this seemingly difficult entrance into life, we are always given the option to put ourselves together, for it is necessary to heal those aspects of ourselves which have always been broken.
Picking up the pieces of your soul is sometimes painful, for you find that you are what you thought you would never be. You realize the things you've been running from your entire life are actually integral parts of your being. The moment you accept everything that you are is the moment that you realize the immensity of your existence. Accepting the parts of yourself that you would otherwise view to be horrible characteristics in other people is essential in learning to truly love yourself. Once you allow the overflowing love of your soul to reach the (subjectively) darkest parts of yourself, you begin to know what it means to integrate your being.
The idea of putting together the pieces of yourself that seem to be splintered all over the place is often referred to as integration. Integrating pieces of yourself is one of the most beautiful processes anyone can go through, for you discover the parts of yourself that you could not have even conceptualized before. To me, becoming a whole being is one of the purest forms of worship that I can embody, for I am breathing life into the creation of God. Embodying that which is of the holiest, most sanctified origin is truly spiritual. This can mean different things for different people because, as previously stated, no two people experience reality in the exact same way. Finding what truly makes you a uniquely sovereign individual is the first step in putting yourself together; consciously living through that skeleton of your inner self is the second step.
Integration begins and ends with the realization that what you are integrating is yourself. Viewing pieces of yourself as abstract, taboo concepts prevents you from understanding, embodying, and loving them. Seeing and loving yourself as the being beneath the bullshit of life is one of the purest things you can do for yourself. Make each day an adventure of self-discovery, for you are infinite and beautiful! Putting yourself together is a process, so you have right to be patient. Embrace the beauty of the journey and realize that this is your own adventure. Gather your stones, love them, and make yourself whole, then you will understand the wonder of existence.
