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Gathering Light

4 Apr

We have all kinds of opportunities to influence others throughout our lives.  We can be an example of kindness, charity, and love, or something else.  We can do anything we like, but we can’t share something we don’t have.  If we want to share goodness and light, we first have to attain those things for ourselves.  We are born innocent and without guile, but life brings hardship and disappointment, as well as blessings, and as we grow we change.  Although we’re taught as children to play fair, we learn quickly that life sometimes isn’t fair with us.  Those experiences can harden us and turn our innocent trust into suspicion and doubt.  But there is light all around us and we can obtain it to help us become the people we really want to be.  Every time we help someone else, we gain a little light.  Every time we comfort, we gather a little more.  With each selfless act we accumulate tiny rays of light and they become ours.  It’s like a snowball rolling down a hill.  It starts small but as it rolls forth it picks up more and more snow until at the end it’s far larger than when it began.  We gather light as we live valiantly and courageously.  And when we do our blessings increase, and our influence on the world magnifies.

It’s impossible to live on earth and not impact others.  No matter what we think our influence is, sometimes it’s more prevalent than we imagine.  People watch us.  They see our choices, they see what we say, and they see how we behave.  If we are noble and kind, they may emulate us.  And if we are hurtful and mean, they may avoid us.  We don’t live in a vacuum and even when we think nobody is watching, odds are someone is noticing.  Whether we mean to or not, whatever we do we are sharing with those around us.  There is enough wickedness, abuse, betrayal, and hurt in the world already, and we don’t need to add more.  But if we do, it makes us part of the pain we all endure.  It’s far better for us to choose something higher and nobler.  We can choose to be kind, caring, thoughtful, and respectful.  We can help and listen, and be a voice of comfort.

We will never reach a point in our lives where we have enough kindness, enough charity, or enough patience.  We will never have so much light we don’t need to reach for more.  There will always be room for growth.  Dark trials come to all of us and when we feel hopeless and lost, we pray and hope for light.  We yearn for someone to help us and comfort us.  It is far better to become a beacon to others than to ignore their pain and leave nothing behind.  As we become the very best we can be, we can be a bright star in the darkness.  We can be there and bring comfort because we care.  We can be a positive influence in this life.  And when we are, we can change the world.

Today there will be ways for you to help, or listen, or comfort.  Offer a kind word or a helping hand.  You will gather light and as you do those around you will be lifted because you care.  There is light all around you.  Find it.  Gather it and let it shine.  Be an example for good.  The world will be a better place because you did.

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The Other Eleven

24 Mar

When we’ve set a goal for ourselves and we’re moving forward, sometimes along the way we have a setback. Maybe we lose our focus for a moment and go the wrong way, or go backward, or even stop altogether. No journey is without occasional bumps and detours and we expect them when we travel. When they happen we take them in stride, and just keep going. But when it’s a personal situation, when we’re trying to change something about ourselves or do something we want badly and we go sideways, we can feel frustrated. We might even convince ourselves we can’t succeed and think about quitting. If we take an egg from the carton and accidentally drop it, we don’t ever think of smashing the other eleven because one got broken. We just clean up the mess and continue on. When we lose our footing as we try to achieve something, we break the diet, forget the gym, or sleep in instead of working on the project, it’s like breaking one egg. We aren’t ruined. We haven’t failed. It’s just a slight detour. All is not lost. We can get back on the road and pointed in the right direction again. We are still capable of succeeding and we can keep going.

Detours happen for a lot of reasons. Sometimes we get tired of trying so hard. Sometimes we get distracted. And sometimes we forget our focus. Life is busy and complicated. No matter what we’re trying to accomplish, odds are it isn’t the only thing we have to do. We’re busy and our goals are just one of the things we’re involved with. But when they are important to us and we really want to accomplish them, they have to take precedence whenever possible. It isn’t always easy to juggle everything in our lives, and change is hard for most of us. But despite the detours that occur, no matter what the cause, if we’re determined to succeed we can re-align our path and begin to move forward again. There isn’t anything that will stop us from achieving our goals if we want them badly enough.

When we falter we can be stalled by self criticism and doubt. We might believe that because we haven’t achieved the goal yet, and we’ve gotten off the path again, we don’t have what we need to be successful. But that isn’t true. It doesn’t matter how many times we get sidelined. What matters is that we start again. And again. And again. We can’t go forward if we stop. We can’t achieve anything if we quit trying. If we drop one egg, we don’t have to smash the other eleven. No matter what has happened or how long it’s taken, we can still succeed. The only thing that will stop us is if we stop ourselves. There isn’t anything we can’t accomplish if we just keep pushing forward. Just one step more and we’ll be on the road again. We have everything we need to get to the goal. Nothing is strong enough to stop us.

Today if you’re feeling defeated because you’ve been side tracked and haven’t moved forward the way you wanted to, you can correct your course. Refine your focus and begin again. There isn’t anything you can’t accomplish. You have everything you need to succeed. You know what you want. Don’t let anything stop you from getting it. You deserve every blessing, and they will all be yours if you keep moving forward.

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Consequences

16 Mar

Everything we do in our lives affects us in some way. If we make a small decision, the impact of that choice is usually small as well. For instance, if we choose French fries over onion rings neither choice will greatly impact our lives, and our decision is inconsequential. But when we’re making big decisions the consequences can be far reaching. If we are deciding which car to buy, which job to take, whom to date, or whether to move or not, the ramifications of our decision can have long lasting effects on our lives. Big decisions take thought and time to evaluate. We always want to make the choices we’ll be happy with that bring us the desired results. But sometimes, we don’t know how far reaching a decision will become until after we’ve made it. There are times when we decide something quickly because it doesn’t seem that important and then it impacts us in ways we couldn’t possibly have foreseen. We may shake our heads and wring our hands, and wish we could go back knowing what we know now. But the only thing we can do is press forward and resolve whatever has been impacted by the choice we made.

We make decisions based on the information we have at the time.  Sometimes we have all the facts, and sometimes there is no way to know everything.  If we’re trying to decide whether to take a new job or not, we may research the company, and talk to employees who work there.  We may evaluate the position and then if everything looks good, accept the job.  But we may discover despite all our research once we’re in the job it’s far too stressful and a terrible fit for us.  We did our homework but all the facts weren’t clearly available.  Even if we do everything we can, and pay attention, there are times when it’s impossible to know every result before we decide.  If it doesn’t turn out the way we hoped and the consequences are beyond what we want to manage, we will have to make another decision to move forward.  The best we can do is choose wisely from where we are.

If we do all we can to make a good decision and it doesn’t work out we are not at fault.  We can only see what we can see.  Sometimes things go awry and the best we can do if that happens is consider all our options going forward, and choose as wisely as possible.  It’s impossible to know everything, we can’t read the future, and there will always be unknown factors.  But if we take our time and consider everything possible before we choose, we’ll have the best chance of getting to the destination we’re seeking.  We are completely capable of making good choices that will take us where we want to go.  Nothing in this life is permanent and we can change any situation we’re in.  If the consequences of our decision are not what we hoped for, we can correct our course going forward.

Today if you’ve made a decision that didn’t work out and you’re in an uncomfortable situation because of it, you can change things.  You are capable of making excellent decisions and you will find your way through.  You are intelligent and wise.  Turn your course to reflect that.

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Intervention

10 Mar

We’ve all heard of interventions, and maybe seen them on television or witnessed them in real life. They are done in an effort to change or improve a situation with someone, and are sometimes used to help people who struggle with addictions, or who have trouble facing the truth about something. Often they are initiated by family members or other loved ones worried about someone close to them. One of the first things done in this situation is telling the complete truth about what is happening. Seeing everything as it is begins the process of change. Sometimes we may have times in our lives when we need to make a drastic change or face something very difficult. We don’t need to go through a formal intervention to face our situation and move forward. If we are ready and really want to turn our lives we can facilitate the change ourselves. All we have to do is decide it’s time to begin. We know what’s best for us, and we know when we’re on the wrong road. We know when we’re not being honest with ourselves, and we know what we need to do. Once we decide to change, the process of turning can begin. It doesn’t matter how we do it or how long it takes. What’s important is that we’re ready to start.

Most of us are honest with those around us. We try to be fair, wait our turn in line, pay our bills on time, and want to be nice. But sometimes we aren’t as kind and honest with ourselves. We expect more from ourselves than we would ever expect from others. We can be critical when we aren’t perfect, or feel shame when we don’t think we measure up. These kinds of personal judgments can prevent us from moving forward. We may even feel if we don’t do everything exactly right nobody will love us. We would never put those kinds of requirements on others. We allow for their mistakes, we don’t expect perfection, and we still care about them. But sometimes we have a double standard when it comes to expectations for ourselves. It’s important to remember that we are perfect just like we are now. We don’t have to be the best, the fastest, the tallest, the smartest, or the most successful to be loved. We have unique gifts and talents that nobody else possesses, and we already have a lot to offer. We are lovable just as we are.

Being honest with ourselves isn’t always easy. If we want to really know who we are, we have to be willing to open all the secret doors we’ve kept shut, and pull the curtains away letting all the light shine through. We need to look at what we’re actually doing and decide if it’s what we really want. If it isn’t, we can make decisions that will put us on the road that will take us where we want to go. There isn’t anything we can’t change. But first we have to be willing to see things as they are. We can’t hide behind our families, our jobs, our money, our reputations, or anything else. We can have our own personal intervention, face our reality as it exists, and then decide how to go forward. We can have any kind of life we want but we won’t achieve anything we’re looking for if we look away from where we are. We can face our lives, decide what we want to change, and move forward.

Today if you feel you aren’t where you want to be, and you aren’t sure how to move forward, stop and take a good look at your life. See everything as it is, and decide where you want to go from here. There isn’t anything you can’t do. The road is already there waiting for you. Take the first step on the journey today. There is sunshine just ahead. You have everything you need to reach it.

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Real Life

9 Mar

We live in a real world and it’s not difficult to see and navigate the material things around us.  But we also live in a world with other people we interact with on a daily basis.  They make decisions about what they will do and say to us.  Sometimes they talk to us in truth and other times may say something entirely different.  If we are honest it may be hard to believe that those near us could tell us things that aren’t true.  We all want truth in our lives, but sometimes we may believe in fiction.  It could be a lie that someone we love is telling us because they don’t want to hurt us with the truth, or want us to believe it in order to get something from us.  Maybe we pretend that something is real that isn’t, because facing it as it is, is hard and painful.  Deception and lies, pretending and looking the other way complicate us and make even simple decisions difficult.  We deserve to be happy and live as peacefully as possible.  That can only happen if we’re willing to see and accept things as they really are.  Truth is truth and will always surface.  There is no way to hide from it forever and the best we can do is face it.

If we want we can live our entire lives in the land of fiction, making up stories about what we’re doing, and what’s happening.  We can believe in people that lie to us even when we have the truth staring us in the face.  We might tell ourselves it’s better not to rock the boat and face the truth, but that just prolongs the inevitable.  The problem with fiction is it can’t stand up over time.  There is no way to live a lie forever.  Running from the truth, hiding from it, dodging it, ignoring it, or in any way trying to avoid it, is exhausting.  No matter how difficult it is to face, it’s easier in the end than living a life on the run.  Pretending is just another word for acting, and if we’re acting out our lives instead of really living them, we can’t be who we really are.  It’s best to accept things truthfully, face them head on, and shake away the clouds of deception.  Only then can we live our lives honestly and with clarity.

Sometimes we believe a lie because we really want the story to be true.  If we love someone and they continually tell us things we want to hear, we may go along even if we know it isn’t real.  Personal desires can be very strong and we may believe the story will eventually come true.  But we can’t read the future, and all we can really count on is what is real today.  They say the best predictor of the future is the past, and that’s often true.  If someone has lied to us in the past there’s a good chance they will continue to follow the same path.  Of course, people can change and turn things around, but putting our lives on hold and pretending will not make that happen.  We can only control our own decisions, and choose to move forward with our own lives.  We deserve to make all our dreams come true.  We can do that if we live in the real world and not the land of fiction.

Today if you’ve been hoping for something to be true that hasn’t happened, remember you are worth the best of everything.  You deserve everything you are seeking.  Choose to move forward.  You are in control of your happiness.  Facing truth will help you find it.  You can make all your dreams come true by living in the real world and you have the courage and wisdom to do that.

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