Sacrifice

sac·ri·fice
noun \ˈsa-krə-ˌfīs, also -fəs or -ˌfīz\

: the act of the surrender or destruction of something prized or desirable for the sake of something considered as having a higher or more pressing claim.

Origin:
1225–75;  (noun) Middle English  < Old French  < Latin sacrificium,  equivalent to sacri-  (combining form of sacer  holy) + -fic-,  combining form of facere  to make, do1  + -ium -ium; (v.) Middle English sacrifisen,  derivative of the noun

Lately sacrifice has been coming up a lot for me.  Now as we enter into the dark moon phase here in the PNW, I am now faced with the daunting choice to give up things I really like in order to stabilize my family and create economic empowerment.  Some of those things include my plans for traveling to South America with my daughter at the beginning of next year,  which has me really bummed.  Other things I have recently sacrificed, like smoking, has immediately payed off and I am empowered.   Other things that I cannot publicly name have me a bit terrified. 

Looking at the origin of the word, sacrifice, I see that it is in sum, "To make holy/sacred."  Looking at it from this perspective changes the meaning of the act somewhat.  Rather than giving up what I love, I am making it sacred.  Indeed what I may be surrendering to is the transformation into a vessel that is more receptive to what is holy, maybe even capable of creating it and spilling it out into the Universe with ecstatic joy. 


.....conversation with Shadow
The antagonist continues to scream that there is no meaning.
That suffering is simply that.
But after a bit of tea and scone she quiets.  I tell her I see her point, but that doesn't explain why I love her.
She then admits that there are endless possibilities.