Meet What Is Happening

Salzberg touches upon something very exciting in the chapter we are currently looking closely at, "The Gift of Equanimity." She writes, "No one in this world only experiences pleasure and no pain, and no one only experiences gain and no loss. When we open to this truth, we discover that there is no need to hold on or to push away. Rather than trying to control what can never be controlled, we can find a sense of security in being able to meet what is actually happening."
What does it mean to meet what is actually happening? To accept what is happening? To face what is happening? It's interesting because rather than being thrown by difficulties that arise, Salzberg is saying that one can find security by facing what happens to us.
No doubt many of us have the inclination to run away from problems as they arise, but how many of you have actually felt grounded by being present and dealing with what's in front of you no matter how painful it is? Running away from problems is like running away from an oncoming tornado. It will eventually catch up to you and the longer you delay, the more difficult it is to deal with.
Of course we cannot always predict what will come to us, but once your eyes are opened and your heart is woken up by the present moment, don't be afraid of what is in front of you. Fear and denial of issues arising will not ground you. Embracing what is in front of you will ironically give you that sense of security that Salzberg so wisely writes about.