God grant me patience…and please hurry. I’m having many opportunity to face my character defects and one is wanting it all, RIGHT NOW! That’s how addicts think. And I’m a food addict, so there you are. Then there are the times when I think I’ve got it. Dangerous! Here’s the dirty little secret: There is no IT!!!! There’s no stopping and there’s nothing solid to stand on. Nothing is certain, and looking for people, places, things and experiences to hold onto is an exercise in life-draining futility. There’s just the now and the flow. At least that’s the way I’m seeing it. Breathing in, breathing out. Greeting all sentient beings, including myself, with unconditional friendliness. Just this. Just this. Just this.

Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional. I’ve been doing some reflecting and reading on the nature of suffering. There are so many nuances to the way I can choose to think, and how the affects my experience of what’s going on that moment. There are those who’d say that our lives are all a mind-invention, and I sort of get that. I mean, if I weren’t conscious and aware, would I have a life as I now know it? I think not! But I also suspect I’m starting to go in circles at the moment. It’s just that….all things are lessons God would have me learn. There are very few absolute rights or wrongs in the course of daily life. I don’t always know what’s coming at me or why, or what it means. I do know that if I greet it all with unconditional friendliness, neither wallowing nor avoiding, it will be what it’s supposed to be. And on a good day when I can do this more often than not, no matter what happens, there is contentment. Exhaustion sometimes, too. This is hard work! But if I don’t fight it, it doesn’t bite me, at least not as hard. Does any of this make any sense? Does to me. Have a lovely day my lovely ones!

Someone once said the order of the universe is God, self, others, things. While I was away in the country I had tons of time to pray, meditate, read, write in my journal and rest. Lots of revelations! Including how I need to remind myself to put my higher power first in my life. I can’t have a relationship if I don’t honor and spend time. So I’m going to set my alarm ten minutes earlier and get more ready the night before, so I can go to my meditation corner and just sit and breathe and listen.

Living a spiritual life means living a life aware of infinite paradoxes. We give up all power to regain all power. Meaning that if we give up every idea that we can control worldly things, we will be opening our selves to allow Spirit to move through us. When we put down any notion that we can control people, places, things, time, anything at all, we are free in a way that allows the higher power that I call God to fill us. God is very polite. God will not hammer us with tasks, responsibilities or even insights. But if we can get out of our own way by daring to say, “I don’t know,” and, “It’s up to you,” and, “I can just let things be,” and, “It is what it is,” we’ll be out from under an awful lot. Then, if we say yes to our Best Selves, all things will be well. This is not about being steamrolled by life. Oh, no, no! When we are in the God-energy, miracles happen and we become deeply, quietly, amazingly strong no matter what comes along. Amen. May thy will, not mine, be done.

Try this:
Live like a dog. Jump around joyfully when people you love walk in the door. Love everyone! Kiss them juicily, breathing in their unique scent. Insist that a partner, child, friend or co-worker take you for a walk! Devour your next meal with gusto! Be here, now!