— CHIEF O’BRIEN. DESTINY. 48543.2

DS9’s plain-talking engineer reminds us of a question we must all answer—if only because our lives may depend on it: What is our back-up system?

What can we rely on in a crunch? What can we turn to when our usual coping mechanisms fail… when all our hopes and dreams seem to be crumbling around us?

From computers to Starships, our technologies have incorporated fail-safe features and back-up systems almost from their inceptions. How ironic that many of the people who designed these life-enhancing (and life-saving) systems haven’t taken the lesson to heart.

But we still can. Before it’s needed. Or needed again.

We can start by building a network of others who will care for us, and for whom we’ll care, when crunchtime comes. People who have lived through their own personal crises, who can point to resources they’ve already used successfully, can be especially valuable.

Chances are those resources will involve the kinds of spiritual disciplines that help people transcend their pain; that allow them to take the longer view; that can connect them to the power which turns even loss into learning. That’s the Back-Up System behind all back-up systems.

Knowing what my ultimate resources are gives me strength and confidence. Through my spiritual community, I will come to know those resources better.

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The above meditation is taken from Going Boldly on Your Inner Voyage © 1999-2004, IF Books.

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