In his Book of Awakening, Mark Nepo offers daily lessons intended to help readers interested in “having the life you want by being present to the life you have.”
Said differently, the book’s purpose is to enable anyone to unlock their true power.
Nepo’s March 2nd entry addresses our choice when it comes to power. He offers, “Originally, the word power meant able to be. In time, it was contracted to mean to be able. We suffer the difference.”
Nepo goes on to reference the common expression “more power to you.” He posits in general that power is a goal and specifically, more often than not, the goal is worldly power defined as power over things, people, and situations—a controlling power.
Nepo contrasts worldly power to inner power described as the power that comes from being a part of something larger—a connective power.
When we share this well-wish, our intent is either to offer controlling or connective power. When we receive it, similarly we have the choice.
Later in his June 23rd entry, Nepo once again offers us a clear choice. This time the choice is how to attain the power we seek.
“It leaves us with another choice: fame or peace, be a celebrity or celebrate being, work all our days to be seen or devote ourselves to seeing, build our identity on the attention we can get or find our place in the beauty of things by the attention we can give.”
Again, the choice is ours.