Nature and Grace

How's my mental health today?

I have to be careful that I don't overdo things because my energy levels are still quite low.

I do need to stay active in one way or another so I don't stagnate, isolate myself, and allow the depression to consume me.

So I've been reading, working on incomplete projects, going for the occasional walk, and reflecting.

The movie, The Tree of Life is still bouncing around in the back of my mind. One of the opening statements keeps coming back at me.

" There are two ways through life; 

the way of nature and the way of grace"

- quote from The Tree of Life (2011)

What does that mean? How does that relate to me and how I live my life?

If I say "It's just my nature" to rationalize who I am and what I do, am I limiting myself; depriving myself of other/better options?

When I looked up the word 'grace' on dictionary.reference.com I found:

grace [greys]   noun, verb, graced, grac·ing.

1. elegance or beauty of form, manner, motion, or action: We watched her skate with effortless grace across the ice. Synonyms: attractiveness, charm, gracefulness, comeliness, ease, lissomeness, fluidity. Antonyms: stiffness, ugliness, awkwardness, clumsiness; klutziness.

 

2. a pleasing or attractive quality or endowment: He lacked the manly graces.

 

3. favor or goodwill. Synonyms: kindness, kindliness, love, benignity; condescension.

 

4. a manifestation of favor, especially by a superior: It was only through the dean's grace that I wasn't expelled from school. Synonyms: forgiveness, charity, mercifulness. Antonyms: animosity, enmity, disfavor.

 

5.mercy; clemency; pardon: He was saved by an act of grace from the governor. Synonyms: lenity, leniency, reprieve. Antonyms: harshness.

Living life by the way of grace is my preference. 

I just have to do it.

That's not always easy.

“Everyone feels benevolent if nothing happens 

to be annoying him at the moment.” 

- C.S.Lewis