Think you got it figured out? Meditation for 04/15/14

Ashley River; Charleston SC

“It ain’t what you don’t know that gets you into trouble. It’s what you know for sure that just ain’t so.”  – Mark Twain

“For those who believe, no proof is necessary.  For those who don’t, no proof is possible.”  - Stuart Chase

     In and of themselves, our thoughts have no power over us.  We are not responsible for our thoughts – it is our words and actions that we are accountable for.  But our thoughts have a way of becoming ingrained when we do not challenge them, and we start to accept them as fact.  It is when we face the prospect that thoughts that we have come to believe are threatened that we start feeling threatened.  Still more deeply ingrained are the beliefs that we hold that were handed to us by those that raised us and we have never questioned, and when these are called into question our hackles go up quickly.  We all hold beliefs that are inaccurate – we can just look back a year ago and see how many things our minds have changed about.  This process of maturing will continue, and there are ways to accelerate the pace, or at least make it a bit less painful.

     A woman named Byron Katie developed a four step system for challenging beliefs that can work quite well to take our ego out of the way of the growth process.  The first step is to question our belief.  First, we ask ourselves if the belief we hold is true.  (I believe quitting smoking is difficult.)  If yes, we ask ourselves if we absolutely know it is true.  (There are some people who have said that they quit smoking with little or no difficulty – there is a slim possibility it might not be difficult.) Of course we cannot absolutely know anything, but we may still be pretty convinced.  Next we can look at what happens when we believe that thought.  (I keep on smoking.)  Then fourth, we ask ourselves who we would be if we did not hold this belief.  (I would be a non-smoker.)

     Ms. Katie goes on to discuss how we can take these false beliefs and turn them around by asserting thoughts on the other side.  (Quitting smoking is not difficult.)  I have tried it on a few things, and it takes being willing to be willing to change if change is merited in order to begin to change thinking.  But since beliefs that we hold that are false tend to cause a lot of pain as we try to manipulate them into truth, this is a simple exercise well worth using to challenge why we believe what we believe. 

Today, may I challenge my thoughts.  

Have a great Wednesday !!

David

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Want to keep your foot out of your mouth? Meditation for 4/15/14

Ashley River; from Magnolia Plantation in Charleston SC

To see today's photo journal, click HERE.

"A pedestal is as much a prison as any small space."  -  Gloria Steinem

"If you start off playing dumb, you can always play smart later.  If you start off playing smart, you are stuck."  -  Larry "Flintstone" Flintoff

    Why do we think we have to have the answers?  We have no idea what we don't know, and yet we will find ourselves in situations putting ourselves forward as "the expert."  For some folks this turns into the annoying trait of being a "know-it-all,"  but many of us have become sophisticated enough to act like a fount of wisdom without coming off as obnoxious.  And worse yet is our tendency to stick to a comment we have made in the past even though it is erroneous. We will dig a pit out of a pothole in order to make it appear that we weren't "wrong" when we spouted off some grandiose statement in the past.  Why do we do it?  What possible benefit is there to be gained by acting like we have all the answers?

     Of course it is rooted in our fear of inadequacy.  Deep down we fear that if others see us as insufficient we will be abandoned.  So we open our mouth and make statements of "fact" that come back to bite us.  Even if we are right, we have put ourselves in the position that we "have the answers," and this is a much tougher position to operate from than one of humility.

     We have to remember that true learning is the progressive discovery of our ignorance. For every one thing we learn we find out there are ten more we don't know.  (True learning is not sports statistics or knowing the latest outfit a pop star is wearing.)  Can we ask questions and listen to the responses rather than constantly formulating what our next comment will be when others are talking?  Can we allow ourselves the grace to be wrong, and then go a step further and stop thinking we know anything at all?  Can we realize there are exceptions to every rule and that rules will usually be broken?   When we are giving advice, can we frame it based upon a specific experience we have had rather than making sweeping grand statements?

     Slowing down and becoming attuned to what others need rather than what they are saying often helps because people usually focus on symptoms rather than problems.  And on those rare occasions we have to put our self out there as an expert?  If we can remember to do it humbly and in the spirit of helpfulness we will save ourselves much grief.

Today, may I know I am sufficient.

Have a happy Tuesday !!

David

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Stuck? Meditation for 4/14/14

Folly Beach; SC

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“Many are stubborn in pursuit of the path they have chosen, few in pursuit of the goal.”  - Friedrich Nietzsche

“Talk doesn't cook rice.”  - Chinese proverb

     The tortoise and the hare paired off in a footrace was the subject of a childhood story that has probably stuck with most of us.  The hare races off to an insurmountable lead, gets distracted by this and that and finally lays down to take a nap.  The turtle plods along and crosses the finish line while the hare awakens in panic.  As a child I remember thinking that at least the hare would only lose one such race, he would learn his lesson and never lose again.  As an adult, I am not so sure – playing the hare has been a role I have played many times in my life.

     There are many sayings that express the value of persistence.  “Slow and steady wins the race.”  “The mighty oak was a tiny acorn.”  “The difference between winning and losing is usually not quitting.”  “Try and try again.”  But the reality is that persistence cannot be taught or bought – it must be done.  Like anything else worthwhile, if a spiritual path were for those that needed it, wanted it, read about it or talked about it the vast majority of us would know joy and peace.  But it is not for those folks – it is for those that steadily, quietly do the work of ridding themselves of the false so that they may know the true.  Regardless of how seemingly small or insignificant, can we find one thing to do now that we can let go of and thus move further along the path?  We always can, and each small step builds our legacy – one small burden relieved or contribution made at a time.

Today, may I be given stamina.  

Have an awesome Monday!!

David

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Magic Potion Discovered !! Meditation for 4/11/14

Charleston SC

News flash - a magic potion has been discovered!!!   

      Aesop (600 BC) said that it is the sign of a noble soul.  Plato (380 BC) said it will turn your life around.  Marcus Cicero (100 BC) said it is the greatest of virtues.  William Blake (1780) said it is heaven itself.  John Jowett (1890) said it is vaccine, anti-toxin and antiseptic.  Tony Robbins (present) said it dissipates fear and brings abundance.  It wards off depression, prevents anguish, soothes scrapes and heals deep wounds.   It breaks down walls of hostility, allows us to live in the present moment, enhances awareness and love, brings humility, is the barometer of serenity and joy, and brings fulfillment to our lives.  Your supply of it increases if you share it with others.  If it is lost or stolen, you can always get more on a moment’s notice.  How much will you pay for this elixir?

     “It” is gratitude – the simple feeling of thankfulness and appreciation.  Its power has been noted through the ages in all cultures.  Gratitude cannot be purchased for any price; it requires only willingness and a bit of effort.  We speak often of making a gratitude list – things that we are grateful for and things we are grateful that we do not have – perhaps this should be a daily thing, done before we retire to sleep when we review our day.  We can find gratitude in the smallest, silliest things, and we can find it in the growth we realize from our greatest trials.  It will take us everywhere we want to be.

Today, may I know gratitude.  

Have an awesome Friday all!!
David

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Someone got your goat? Meditation for 4/9/14

Capers Island; SC

(CLICK HERE to access today's article on disc golf)

"The tree of revenge does not carry fruit."  -  Dutch Proverb

"Grace is the voice that calls us to change and gives us the power to pull it off."  - Max Lucado

     Grace is defined as giving free and undeserved favor, honor or credit to someone.  Often the context is the “grace of God,” referring to the fact that when we seek intuitive guidance we are given it freely, regardless of our actions in the past.  The spirit never seeks recrimination against us for our short-comings; an earnest request for connection is always accepted, even after periods of our deepest rebellion.

      But what about our willingness to give grace to others?  Others do things that cause delay us, annoy us, cost us resources and even sometimes injure us.  This can be as minor as someone cutting us off in traffic, representing a lifestyle or belief system we don’t agree with or something as severe as someone causing the death of one we love.  In such cases our instincts cry for us to cause inconvenience, to besmirch, to inflict emotional pain or even injury to an even greater degree than what we perceive we suffered.  Somehow we are convinced that this will both make us feel better about ourselves and thwart the other party from visiting injury on us in the future.  In reality giving grace doesn’t usually even occur to us.  And even if it did, why would we even consider giving it in such circumstances?

     First, let’s look at what happens if we do not give grace.  Holding a resentment does not harm the other; resentments poison us.  And as for revenge – it always sets in motion chains of events that boomerang back on us and cause us even more grief than we already have.  And as to gossiping about someone else in order to alleviate our discomfort – not only does not make us feel better for very long, it ultimately cuts us off spiritually from both the one we gossip about and the one we gossip to.  When we learn to sincerely forgive others, we find that we are by far the biggest beneficiary.

     But what about this grace thing?  How will we benefit from returning an undeserved kindness to someone who harms or slights us?  First, the benefits we receive are unexpected and are not dependent upon whether the other person accepts our kindness or not.  We are fully freed of our anger, and we can come to see that the other person is doing the best they can with what they have – as deficient as that might be.  We free ourselves from the weight of grudges and anger that bog down so many in life.  And as to the other person – darkness never can exist in the presence of light.  When we refuse to prop up negativity with resistance or retaliation, the negativity either dissipates or the person is forced to find somewhere else to exercise it.  It cannot stand on its own.  But more often, the other person realizes that they were in the wrong and responds very positively to our kindness.  Some of our greatest allies in life can come from those who expected retaliation from us but received the opposite.  They usually develop a level of trust for us immediately.

     This is not to say that there is not a time to draw appropriate boundaries.  But putting up walls, holding grudges and seeking revenge are not effective tools.  And ultimately, when we hold ourselves to a higher standard, it is we who benefit the most.

Today, may I be kind.  

Have a great Wednesday !!

David

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Trouble feeling connected? Meditation for 4/8/14

Awendaw; SC

“There remains the feeling that God is on the journey too.”  - Mother Teresa of Avila

“God has no religion.”  - Ghandi 

   The work that it takes to stay in the spiritual zone is not complex, it is simple.  But it is often far from easy and rarely seems to make sense.  For instance, we need to keep showing up, but when we show up it is our job to get out of the way.  What sense does this make?  The ego is certain we have shown because it is so important and has work to do – work that we will perform and then put on suitable displays of humility of course.  But nothing spiritual can come through when we are locked in any of the various faces of ego, and try as we might we will never get the results that come from staying out of the way and just doing the work that intuition specifies.  Indeed, for me it seems that half my energy is spent on getting out of the way.  But it is energy well spent – when I am successful at staying out of the way the results that come seem effortless and are far superior to the results that come about when I am pursuing an agenda.

     The other aspect of this that is difficult is the fact that we are only shown one thing at a time.  I want to know where things are going so I can “properly plan.”  I am not satisfied unless I can see the next ten “right things” to do, and my mind is constantly projecting what those will be.  This gets me off track so often that it undoubtedly is the number one cause when I find myself “out of the zone.”

     I have had this notion that God – or whatever you call that essence we tap into – is all knowing and all seeing.  I have thought that this essence purposely held me on a string, only letting me see one bit at a time as though this were some amusing game or something.  It has led me to get rebellious as I end up feeling like a mule with blinders on, who when he tires of chasing the carrot gets the lash of pain to propel him on.  But the statement above by Mother Teresa gives me pause.  Who says that the spirit knows all of the dynamics, and is aware of whether others are going to tap into the spirit also or will be following their self will?  After all, if the spirit knew everything ahead of time this whole exercise we call life would seem pretty boring for it. 

     If I allow for the notion that God may not have all the answers as it relates to the future it makes me feel a lot more like a partner.  It allows me to be the hands and feet, to be the eyes and the mouthpiece without feeling like I am simply parroting out some role that I have to in order to have peace in my life.  I don’t claim to have the answer, but I find this works better for me.  And, as is the case with any belief, the value of the belief is not in convincing others that it is correct, it is in whether the perspective holds up when the rubber hits the road.  It worked for me again today, I think I will try it again tomorrow.

Today, may I be open.

Have a great Tuesday !!

David

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What is a miracle? Meditation for 4/2/2014

Savannah GA

“There are two ways to live.  You can live as nothing is a miracle; you can live as everything is a miracle.”  - Albert Einstein

“We awaken in others the same attitude of mind that we hold toward them.”  - Elbert Hubbard

     A miracle is defined as an event that cannot be explained by natural or scientific laws.  There was an event that created all of the matter, light, energy, etc in our universe.  Both scientific and natural laws tell us that we cannot create or destroy anything; we can only change the state in which it exists. Thus, by definition, everything that exists is the result of a miracle.

       We can still choose to try to convince ourselves that our universe, our world and our lives originated out of nothing, rush nowhere and are ultimately doomed to end in nothing.  Or we can choose to become aware of the beauty, symmetry and interconnectedness of all.  We can choose to become aware of the role we are supposed to play in its unfolding.  Which viewpoint opens doors and which shuts them?  It is obvious in its simplicity.

     When we become aware and begin to awaken spiritually, we realize we must choose to follow that inner compass which many call God or engage in distractions to avoid our connection with the eternal. The result of our decision is always quite apparent.  We choose appreciation, apathy or distraction, and our universe responds to our decision.

Today, may I see the value and potential in all.   

Have a great Wednesday

David

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Death of self Meditation for 4/1/14

Savannah GA

“When we do not fully honor this current moment we engage in drama.”  - Eckhart Tolle

“One is not prepared to live until one is prepared to die.”  - L. R. E. Montgomery

     The prospect of death brings the realities of life into focus with brutal simplicity.  What will we take with us?  What will we leave behind?  Will any of it have any value?  This begs the question: Must our demise be imminent in order to “get real?”  Can we “be prepared to die” so that we can “be prepared to live” without having to go through the trauma of being at death’s door?  The answer lies in understanding who “we” actually are.

    First we must realize that the identity the ego imposes with its drama of resentments of the past, judgments and desires in the present and fears of the future is a self imposed delusion.  Our mind wants to convince us that this is who we are, and works full time at maintaining this as our identity.  And drama is absolutely necessary if our ego is to assert itself as our identity.    We can only be fully alive those moments that our ego is “dead” and we dwell within the intuition of our spirit.   We do not have to wait to be at the door of our physical death to arrive at this.

     We all glimpse this now and then when something remarkable happens – perhaps a beautiful sunset or a moment we accidently fall “into the zone.”  But the ego is remarkably cunning and persistent.  It finds many ways to creep back in regardless of how hard we try to be rid of it.  We cannot be rid of it without help, and if we earnestly seek it the help comes.  We begin to have longer and deeper glimpses of that zone of connection with all that surrounds us.  We come to realize our life is much more meaningful without the bondage that arises out of this fantasy “self.”  We become prepared to be rid of this “self” – to let it die and live in freedom in the spirit.  “We” become fully ready to die, and thus are finally able to live.  And ultimately, if we truly mature, we come to realize that this “self” within is doing the best it can with what it has, and we finally make peace with ourselves.  And at this point, and only at this point, the creation of drama is no longer necessary or desired and we start to live in reality. 

Today, may I be “real.”

Have a great Tuesday !!

David

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Want to see things differently? Meditation for 3/31/14

Wild Azalea blossom

"The real voyage of discovery consists not in not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes."  -  Marcel Proust

"Just because a man lacks use of his eyes does not mean that he lacks vision."  -  Stevie Wonder

    It has been said that the journey outward and the journey inward are one and the same, meaning that as we grow and mature spiritually we see and appreciate things on ever deepening levels.  But figuring out how to go about this growth is difficult - in fact it seems that unless I am faced with some crisis I will not really try new things.  I merely experiment with different variations of what I already know because so I can feel "safe."  And going to new locations and using the same old attitudes and behaviors I have used before will ultimately net the same results I have always gotten.  Wherever I go, there I am.  Wayne Dyer said "If you change the way you look at things the things you look at change." But how do I go about getting new vision if I cannot get it by changing locations?  

     One thing for sure is that the false sense of security that comes from exercising variations of the same old behaviors doesn't lead very far.  If day after day I do what I did, then day after day I will get what I got.  And since I do not know what I do not know, this stagnation that I justify by seeking the security of the "known" leads to bad places.  It leads to holding contempt for things that  I know nothing about, it leads to building barriers against anything that would threaten my illusion and it leads to ever deepening ignorance of myself and the world around me.  And thus, without making fundamental changes to the way I view myself, this world and this life a change of location is no change at all.

The question really becomes "How do I grow without waiting for some catastrophe to force me out of my comfort zone?"  First we have to realize that change is not an event.  It comes about over time in increments so seemingly small that it is only every once in a while that I notice a situation where I acted dramatically different than I have in the past.  I must voluntarily take myself out of my comfort zone and take actions that expose me to new ideas and circumstances where I can force growth on myself in small increments.  These seem foreign and risky, and they always will because before I experience them I lack the vision of what that growth will look and feel like.  In short, I must make myself vulnerable and give of myself at levels I never have before.  Does the notion of death make me uncomfortable?  Then I need to go volunteer and help others who are going through the end of life transition.  Am I afraid of poverty?  Then I need to get to know and assist those that are poor.  Is there another race or creed that I dislike?  I need to attend their social functions and come to understand them as they are.  Are we struggling with an addiction or eating disorder?  Then we need to get around those that have already successfully done it so we can learn what they did.

     Often, what we are afraid of disguises itself as things we "hate," so whenever we find ourselves intensely disliking something it is time to take a closer look.  I am not talking about flavors or fashions - I am talking about circumstances and people. And the learning brings the new outlooks, the vision, the awareness and the appreciation that we need to grow.  Putting forth a little effort toward the things we are uncomfortable with on a daily basis leads us to a place where we do not have to face misery to grow.

Today, may I face life head on.  

Have an awesome Monday !!

David

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Want to be effective? Meditation for 3/28/14

Savannah GA

“Just do the next right thing, and do the next thing right.”    Unknown

“If initiative is the ability to do the right thing, then efficiency is the ability to do the thing right.”  -  Kelly Miller

     Significant change in our lives does not come about without significant changes in our actions, attitudes and thinking.  Living a hollow and purposeless life is wearisome, and we crave for something different.  We also battle constant changes in the environment around us.  How can we effect significant change when we are aimlessly wandering through life, seeming to continually be tossed about by random and hostile waves?

     We cannot change the direction of the wind, but we can change the angle of our sails. It starts simply.  In the morning we take the initiative to ask direction as to what the next right thing to do is and ask for the power to get it done.  We aspire not only to do the next right thing, but also the next thing right.  We quit reacting to situations and start responding.  We stay alert and aware of the opportunities around us to enhance the lives of others.  We err on the side of compassion and are gentle with ourselves and others. We make our decisions with our hands and feet.  At the end of the day we review it and see where we could have done better.  Then we let it go.  Done on a regular basis for any significant period of time, everything around us changes.  Because we have changed the way we look at things the things we look at will have changed before our eyes.  In this manner we become effective, efficient, desirable and content.  Just today, one moment at a time.

Today, may I seek purity and simplicity in each moment.  

Happy Friday !!

David

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Are you a friend? Meditation for 3/27/14

Seabrook Island; SC

“Humility is being right-sized.”  -  Anon

“A friend in need is a friend indeed.”  -  Quintus Ennius

     It is easy to feel inadequate.  People we love are stricken with disease and have debilitating accidents.  Our best efforts cannot save them, and sometimes it doesn’t even seem like there is anything we can do to improve the situation.  This is harder on some of us than others, we for whatever reason many of us grew up feeling that we were somehow responsible for the well-being of our fellow man.  This just isn’t the nature of life.  Things happen – and life by definition is a terminal condition. 

     One of the most pervasive shames on the subconscious level is that our fellows will discover that we are inadequate as a human being.  The attached fear of course is abandonment – that we will be held up to ridicule and end up alone in life.  The amazing thing is how many people spend their whole life making decisions designed to keep this phantom duo at bay without once ever realizing that all of their meaningful decisions in life have been driven by these fears.  For some of us it is even deeper – as youth we got the notion in our head that it was our responsibility to “save” the human race, and we have spent decades of our life feeling that there was no way that we could ever prove that we are adequate. 

     What this usually causes is avoidance – when someone is dying and actually needs our help more than ever, our subconscious fear is that we will have to face our own inadequacy if we are around them.  So we avoid others in their time of greatest need.  Or, in the case of someone who has suffered a debilitating condition, our rationalization kicks in and we declare that there isn’t anything we could do that would make a difference anyway.

      Taking an honest look around will quickly show that these attitudes are much more common than one would think.  And they are subtle – because our ego is so good at rationalizing our behavior we don’t even see the root causes of our selfish behavior.  But there is no situation so bad that a bit of kindness or an expression of love will not improve.  The reality is that unless we are on guard against this, we will cheat ourselves out of much growth and understanding of life by avoiding these opportunities for service.  Who is confined to a nursing home, hospital or their home that we have not reached out to lately?  Odds are there is at least one for every one of us, and this falls into the category of one of those things we CAN change.  Remembering that we always gain more than we give when we are of genuine service to another helps us get over our ego’s resistance, and we will never regret having put forth the effort.

Today, may I choose to be a friend. 

Happy Thursday

David

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Having trouble understanding yourself? Meditation for 3/26/14

Ft. Pulaski; GA

“..Lord, grant that I may not so much seek to be understand as to understand..”  -  St. Francis

“An appreciative listener is always stimulating.”  - Agatha Christie

    We all have a place we have come from and places we hope to go.  We all want to be able to express our story – sometimes for no other reason than that hearing ourselves talk helps us sort through our thoughts.  But it is a rare occasion that we find someone willing to patiently listen – to be understanding and non-judgmental.  And when we do find such a person, we remember them for a long time after.  We feel we “know” them – even though we did the majority of the talking.

     Listening well is not something we come by naturally – the skill requires practice and development.  But the advantages are many.  First, we already know everything we know, and we learn nothing new when we have our mouths going.  And once we have matured spiritually far enough to realize that we cannot directly see ourselves, we find that we can see mirrors of our self in others.  Granted, this isn't always comfortable because the flaws we spot most readily in others are the flaws that we work the hardest to avoid acknowledging in ourselves.  But unless we force ourselves to become aware of them we will never be able to engage in corrective action. 

     When we seek to understand others we are performing a spiritual service.  As with any other spiritual service, we receive what we give.  By seeking to understand, we are the ones who gain understanding – and we gain it in two ways.  Our own ability to discern improves, so our own understanding of both life and ourselves is enhanced.  But further, the party we listen patiently to appreciates the opportunity we gave them, and they come to understand and appreciate our willingness and effort.  Whose story can we listen to and appreciate today?  Someone close to us has something to teach us – will we learn the lesson when the opportunity is there?

Today, may I listen.

    

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Happy Wednesday !!

David

Know how to love yourself? 03/24/14

Ft. Pulaski; GA

“My ego is not my amigo.  It is out to kill me.”  -  Anon

“Love holds no expectation on who you will be, it simply honors who you are.”  -  E’yen Gardner

     One of most difficult and rarest things for people to accomplish in this life is to truly learn to differentiate between their spirit and their ego.  Many use drugs and alcohol to avoid the issue, many more busy themselves trying to please others or obtain mountains of stuff that they know they cannot take with them after this life.  But there are those few that make this realization.  It usually starts with some pain in life that is so deep that a crack is formed in the self-identity of ego.  If this crack is then pried open, it is revealed to the individual that their life has been a sham – almost everything they have done has been a reaction to one anxiety or another.  But once this breakthrough is made, another barrier awaits that can be just as difficult to break through.  This is the difficulty of truly making peace with one’s self.

     It is only in learning to quiet the mind that we can learn to see our ego as it is – that part of us which desperately clings to the notion that it IS who we are, and works hard to retain its position as our identity.  But our ego has been conditioned to believe that it is who we are, and consequently it feels that its death means our death.  This is the whole thing that is discussed in religions that one must “die to themselves, be reborn” etc etc – all of the spiritual paths acknowledge that ego must die.  But ego never completely dies – it remains our constant companion until the day we die.  Thus, many religions teach one to think that this part of themselves is “evil” and must be avoided.  The result is internal conflict within the individual which forever bars them from true spiritual awakening.

     Our ego is a proper and necessary part of our makeup.  It does the best it can with the skewed templates that were installed in it while we were children and the constant negativity it is fed.  The hallmark of the beginning of true spiritual growth is when no only makes peace with this ego, but develops a kindly attitude toward it to the point that they can love it.  Since we never see other people, but rather just see mirrors of ourselves in them, if we have not isolated and come to love this part of ourselves we are incapable of fully loving anyone else.  Our choice is simple – do the work to understand and love ourselves or live in a state of conflict.  It is in this stage of spiritual awakening that we mature to a level that we can truly begin to have conscious contact with the spirit that is woven throughout all.

Today, may I learn to love myself. 

Have a great Monday !!

David

If you can contribute to the foundation and this journey, please click Here.  To contact me, just click here.  Your support is needed and appreciated !! 

Know the secret? Meditation for 3/21/14

Tybee Island GA with Hilton Head SC on the horizon

"We make a living by what we get.  We make a life by what we give."  -  Winston Churchill

"The earth does not belong to us.  We belong to the earth."  -  Chief Seattle

     Traveling and meeting numerous folks allows one to make many observations.  Some generalizations that can be made about people pan out a good percentage of the time.  But there is only one I have seen that pans out every time - all of the time.  People who live their life giving of themselves have contented lives and seem to be comfortable in their skin regardless of their circumstances, and people who base their life on the acquisition of more stuff are marked by a general attitude of discontent and mistrust of their fellow man.

    The ancients from all cultures have told us the same story time after time.  Giving of one's self brings one gratitude which in turn nurtures the state being called joy. They do not say happiness, they say joy.  For when one knows joy, the pursuit of happiness no longer holds much allure - one realizes that happiness is transitory and dependent upon things beyond our control.  Happiness comes and goes as clouds pass by and as the sun sets.  Joy is a permanent state in which the one who has attained it finds meaning and depth to daily existence.

    If we want to know peace and have the humility necessary to be a student of life, there is no other path besides being of service.  We each have our own talent set and capabilities, so service looks different for each of us individually. And for us as individuals, service has a different look as we mature and things around us change.  But if we look for the opportunities they abound.  Take a day or two and look closely at those who live at complete peace with themselves.  You will find the secret - and the secret begins with willingness.  

Today, may I give of myself.

Happy Friday all !!

David

If you are able to contribute to help with establishing the foundation and keeping this journey alive, please Click Here.  To contact me directly, just click Here.  Your support makes a big difference and is much appreciated !!