“cutting the Gordian knot” is to describe a creative or decisive solution to a seemingly insurmountable problem.“
Untie what holds you back.
Let go of the reins and allow the loose ends to dance in the wind.
Follow the thread that seems unlikely to lead anywhere.
Knots are bows.
Think outside the box.
Let the weeds grow.
Invite yourself to unwind,
unravel,
and not brush your hair.
Why not?
The Photo Above shows a 1920s hat box with thick, uneven ribbons tied over a bold pattern of dark flowers. Photos Gordian knot photos are from ShutterStock. All other photos are mine.
As the story goes, in 333 B.C., the Macedonian conqueror marched his army into the Phrygian capital of Gordium in modern-day Turkey. Upon arriving in the city, he encountered an ancient wagon, its yoke tied with what one Roman historian later described as “several knots all so tightly entangled that it was impossible to see how they were fastened.”
“Phrygian tradition held that the wagon had once belonged to Gordius, the father of the celebrated King Midas. An oracle had declared that any man who could unravel its elaborate knots was destined to become ruler of all of Asia.”
“According to the ancient chronicler Arrian, the impetuous Alexander was instantly “seized with an ardent desire” to untie the Gordian knot. After wrestling with it for a time and finding no success, he stepped back from the mass of gnarled ropes and proclaimed, “It makes no difference how they are loosed.” He then drew his sword and sliced the knot in half with a single stroke.” Via History.Com
The challenge is knowing when to untie the knot or when to cut it.
Maybe the weeds are meant to grow, the detours are meant to be taken, the unplanned messy moments lead to places unimaginable.
Life isn’t about perfect steps or linear paths. I think it is about the balance between intention and surrender, clarity and chaos.
Trusting the uncertainty is the real challenge.
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