THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS FORGIVE

"Well it's alright riding around in the breeze, and it's alright if you live the life you please."
"Well it's alright, remember to live and let live, and it's alright the best you can do is forgive."

Those words from a song by The Traveling Wilburys contain  so much wisdom. In this world of so much violence and mayhem, we sure need for everyone to realize that it is time to stop fighting and to once and for all forgive others of past deeds and just start over. Can you imagine how this world would be if everyone just stopped and took time to truly forgive everyone who has hurt them in any way? If that was to happen we could then start building a world where we all treated others in a much nicer and kinder way. Do I think this is ever going to happen? Probably not in my lifetime but as long as I am here I will just keep on dreaming of that day and try and do my best to forgive everyone who has caused me pain either real or imagined. The funny thing about forgiveness---it helps us much more than the one we are forgiving. That Divine law of Karma always comes full circle in due time. So as we forgive we then are forgiven. Here's hoping that right now you will take a moment and see if you are still holding on to any unforgiveness toward others. And if you are just forgive, let it all be washed away and see how much lighter and freer you then feel. May this new week ahead be one that is filled with love, peace, and joy for you and yours. The best you can do is forgive. Before signing off I would like to share with you a couple of quotes. The first comes from the Science of Mind textbook where it states: A man(woman) may have many shortcomings, but if he loves greatly, much will be forgiven him. And finally from the writer Hafiz comes this statement--Your wounds of love can only heal when you can forgive this dream. Peace and love to all.

SO THIS IS CHRISTMAS

In wishing all of you good folks a very merry Christmas and a happy new year, I share the words of a song by my favorite artist of all time---John Lennon


So this is Christmas, and what have you done
Another year over, and a new one just begun

So this is Christmas, I hope you have fun
The near ones and the dear ones
To the old and the young
A very merry Christmas and a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear

So this is Christmas, for the weak and the strong
For the rich ones and the poor ones
The world is so wrong

And happy, happy Christmas for the black and the white
For the red one and the yellow one
Let's stop all the fight

So merry, merry Christmas, and a happy New Year
Let's hope it's a good one, without any fear.

So my friends, no matter how you celebrate the season, or no matter if you don't celebrate any traditions, my wish for you is that you and yours will be blessed with much love, much joy, and much peace. May we all stop fighting and instead start sharing our love with everyone! May this holiday season be the beginning of a brand new world we call "ONENESS".

THE DAY I DIE

I suppose most of us think about the day we will leave this human body and cease to be a human being. Some don't like to think about it because of their unfounded fear of "dying". Well, I don't claim to know exactly what happens to us at the moment of "death" but here is the one thing I am pretty sure about. And that is that it would be a downright shame for anyone of us if when we are at the point of death that we then realize we haven't really lived at all. And by that I mean that we realize too late all the opportunities to do good as a human being that we left undone. Or even just the moments we could have taken to be still and just give thanks for all the beauty around  us. And instead we took all those opportunities and squandered them for whatever reason. That could be a subject that deserves greater debate, but for today I wanted us to think about what we would do if we did indeed know for sure that this was going to be our final day on earth. What would you do if you knew you were destined to die in 24 hours? If this was the case, take a moment to think about what you would do. We can think about it, but still can't be sure. For in that final moment all our plans could change in a heartbeat.  As for myself, I like to think that I would take the first bit of my last day and just take a long walk somewhere out in Mother Nature. A walk out in the woods maybe, or a walk along a beach? Or maybe just a walk around the neighborhood or out in the city park? Some time just spent soaking in all the natural beauty that surrounds us everyday. After that, maybe I'd take some time to call my old friends and my family members. Maybe I would call on that one person who had helped to inspire me to do good in this world. I would also want to contact anyone with whom I felt I needed to make an apology to for something I had ever said or done to hurt their feelings or cause them any grief. I would definitely want to mend any bridges with those I had ever had disagreements with. I would also tell all my family and friends just how much I loved them. I also hope I would enter that one last blog to say goodbye to all my "online" friends. And to leave all with a reminder to enjoy each moment and to show gratitude for all the good in their lives. But as I think about these things I would want to do,it occurs to me that 24 hours probably just wouldn't be enough time. So instead of spending to much time thinking about it I suppose I should just start living each day as if it was my last one on earth. So to all the world I say--I love you. I say I am sorry to all that I may have offended in any way--I say how about doing something nice for someone right now while you have the chance. I say enjoy each moment and finally I say--Give love, accept love, be love, for that is truly all any of us are. I leave you now with thoughts of perfect love, perfect peace, perfect kindness, and perfect joy. May all of your days be good ones and when that final day does arrive may you go in peace unto that Greater Consciousness of Spirit where all is One. And some day I will see you there!

DIVINE LOVE

I would like to share with you a piece of work that comes from the Science of Mind magazine back on Oct. of the year 2003. The message is a timeless one and if all of us would try our best to live by this motto I can see a world filled with only Divine Love. The following is from the magazine word for word. To me the term God includes all things no matter your personal view of what or who god is. With that in mind I share their work with you.

I believe that Divine Love indwells all the people whom I meet this day. I salute that love within them and expect good in some form from each one. No one dislikes me, and I dislike no one.. I seek until I find some good in everyone. I am loving, kind, and courteous to all. I show through the words of my mouth and the unseen thoughts of my mind that Love is in my heart and Joy is in my soul. To all who would irritate me I say, "The Love of God within me loves the Love of God in you." The world is alive with Divine Love and I abide in it as a loving and gracious expression of Spirit. I give beauty and peace to my world and, therefore, I can only receive beauty and peace from my world. I give thanks that God loves by means of me.

I leave all of you beautiful folks this blessing of pure unconditional love. May it quickly find a permanent place in the forefront of your mind at each moment. And when things do seem to go wrong and that love seems lost, just remember it still resides in the deepest part of your heart and you will find it again! Go in love and peace and take a moment to do something nice for someone today and become a part of this dream with me!

EVERYONE

Like it or not we are all a family. A human family, for better or worse, is what we have before us. That doesn't seem to mean very much to many of us. We even have trouble just getting along with our family members we live with at times! So how can we learn to love all of our family the world over? I sure can't give you  a simple answer for that one but I will say this. I hope all of us will right now take a moment and think about those we love. Are we still holding some kind of grudge against any of them? Do we find ourselves angry with an of them? When was the last time you just told all of them that you love them? For your sake as well as mine I hope you will take a moment to just realize that without the love of family we possess nothing of any importance. And as I see it, there are way too many human beings who still believe that hate, prejudice, and greed among other negatives, are the way we should be doing things. We are One. May we quickly realize and understand that before we totally ruin this wonderful world we find ourselves in.  Today I use a quote from the Bible from I Thessalonians 5:15, See that none render evil unto any man: but ever follow that which is good, both among yourselves, and to all men.
 I might also add that this verse should include women and children and all life. Noted the bible was written long ago before man woke up and begin to treat women and children as an equal instead of underlings. But the message still remains one of great importance. We must begin to love everyone and stop all the senseless violence and greed that is running rampant today. May I remind you that you can help begin this turnaround just by doing something nice to someone today. Please remember to be good to yourself and even better to others. We can change the world one person at a time. I bless all of you and leave you with thoughts for perfect love, peace, and joy. Be well and enjoy each moment. Show love, give love be love for that is truly all you are.

SOMEONE ELSE'S TRUTH

How do we, as human beings ever learn anything? Of course there are many different ways for one to learn something new. But most of us learn from what another person tells us. As a child we are taught by our parents or other caretakers until we reach that point in maturity where we can learn from our own experiences. Here is what I consider a must for any of us who are truly seeking our own answers. And that must is that we need to become very aware that what others teach us is really only what they conceive as truth. And just because they say it is true doesn't necessarily make it true for us. Again, there are many truths that will stand the test of time. An example--Your parents teach you to not walk into the street while cars are coming toward you. You know what happens if you do, and that is a fact that will never change. But the truths I wish to talk about today are those truths that one accepts as their guideline to living a good life. Here is where it gets real tricky trying to decide if another's truth is going to be the same for you. An example--your parents belong to a religious sect that has it own set of guidelines to follow. The parents are convinced that this is the right way to live and the right way to go in finding your spiritual path to enlightenment. So naturally, wanting what they believe is the best for you, they teach you their truth and expect you to follow in their footsteps. This can and has worked for many people throughout the years. But there are many cases when one just doesn't feel that the path their parents have chosen for them is the right one. So they rebel against that particular teaching and go off in search for their own path. Some parents accept that and encourage their children to discover for themselves their own way of doing things. But oft times the parents are heartsick over the rebellion and just can't come to terms with it. So in too many cases the child and the parent go their separate ways and can never fully comprehend what went wrong. The one point I am trying to make today is that I feel one must be careful before accepting something as "true" just because someone else says it is. Any time one reads another's writings they should be very aware that the author is only sharing his truths. And this does not necessarily make it true for you or for anyone else. Everything you read, everything you hear is only that persons truth. It can be very hard for one to accept that all he has been taught by others is not what they should adhere to. And in trying to learn one's truth can definitely take many turns along the way. I believe we should  strive to learn to think for ourselves even if this means we have to first forget what we have been told. And that in itself can cause trouble for us in our relationships with family and others. I'm sure most parents have only good intentions in teaching their offspring to accept what they say. But I sure don't think they should think any less of their kids when they do explore other avenues in their personal search for answers to life's questions. But in a lot of cases the parent cannot accept that they may be wrong and then blame themselves for their kids not believing in the same way. One thing I have noticed in this life is how someone who depends on another's interpretation for finding truth is this. When they find a path they think is the right one for them they then surround themselves with like-minded folks as they continue to search. This is all well and good but I have oft times seen someone get so infatuated with their group of people they seem to quit thinking that they may still be not on the path that will lead them to enlightenment. An example, someone searching for spiritual growth finds a church or denomination that they feel is the right one. And at that moment they think they have found the answers and then they stop thinking for themselves and just listen to what the others say is true. That is also how some cults became the sham they were. What I am saying is I feel one should keep on with an open mind even after they have supposedly found the truth. And instead of looking down on the ones that don't agree with them they should accept that even though they feel secure in their beliefs, that there is a chance that what they now feel so good about could one day change. Personally, I don't think any of us will reach our full potential until the day or night we draw our last breath. Teaching and learning is something all  of us do every moment.  Here's hoping we will continue our search with an open mind. Be good to yourself and even better to others. And may we all become a little less judgmental and more accepting of others whose beliefs may be different. I leave all of you with thoughts of perfect love, perfect peace, and perfect oneness.

GRATITUDE

I truly believe that being grateful for all the blessings in our lives is one of the most important things we can learn to be. A person who is truly grateful for the "small" things in life will quickly discover that Life will then bestow many of the "larger" blessings to them because they have shown gratefulness to the "Source" which supplies all things to us. I have found that it is quite easy to be grateful for those things we label as good. But at the same time it can be very difficult to express gratitude for those things that we label as bad. It does seem to be a paradox in that the things we label as bad, can in reality, be the greatest blessing we could receive at the time. And vice versa in that the good things we receive can actually be one of the worst things that could have happened to us. An example of this from my own personal experience is an event that many of us have experienced at one time or another. Years ago I was deeply in love with a woman and thought that we would always be together. When she decided to leave me for reasons that were valid, even though I didn't quite understand at the time, I thought that was the most horrible thing that could have happened to me. But after a few years of healing I was then led to find my soul mate and we have now been married for almost 20 years. So what I labeled as bad actually turned out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. And that is just one example of how oft times are amiss when we are too quick to label something as either good or bad. Going back to the time when I felt my life was ruined and I could not seem to get past the hurt I can now remember that I was anything but grateful for the event that had taken me by surprise. I am quite sure I felt every emotion except gratitude! But now of course as I look back at the entire episode, I see clearly that I should have been grateful from the start. That time period in my life was one were I was able to grow spiritually by leaps and bounds. I do admit that even now there are times when "bad" things happen and I quickly revert back to my "old ways" and feel everything except gratitude. But thankfully I now have learned to step back, take some time to really think, and can then realize that whatever is happening is something that I should immediately be thankful for. It is not always easy to do this but it is well worth it. At least that is the way I now feel about things. Show me someone who is thankful for all the small gifts of life and I will show you one who is destined for greater things. I truly believe that. So today my hope is that all of you find yourselves being grateful for everything in your life as it is. But if you are facing some difficult event or occurrence and cannot find a way to show gratitude yet, please be strong and have faith that your highest good is being worked out perfectly even though you may not yet be able to see it. May all of us quickly learn to not only be grateful for the good things that occur for us but also be grateful for the good things that happen to the entire human family. The paradox is a simple one yet oft times totally misunderstood. And that is this: All things are good, all things are bad, and all things will lead us to the path that leads back to ourselves. May your light shine brightly and may your days and nights be filled with wonder, with love, with joy, and with peace!

SHARING YOUR GIFTS

Most folks think of a gift as some kind of material assets being shared with another. I have even talked with some who have declared that they have nothing to give another as a gift. And to that I say horse feathers! All of us have plenty of gifts that we can share if we but take a moment to realize that our lives are full of gifts. Gifts that are given to us by the Universe with no strings attached. But the Universe, in It's infinite wisdom, will stop giving us those gifts unless we share them with others. I was looking at a book this evening titled The Art of Living by Wilferd A. Peterson and would like to share with you the following paragraphs from this work. I quote: In gratitude for God's gift of life to us we should share that gift with others. The art of giving encompasses many areas. It is an outgoing, overflowing way of life.
Basically we give what we are. "The thoughts you think," wrote Maeterlinck, "will irradiate you as though you are a transparent vase."
The gift of things are never as precious as the gifts of thought.
 Emerson said it well: "Rings and jewels are not gifts, but apologies for gifts. The only true gift is a portion of thyself."
We give of ourselves when we give gifts of the heart; love, kindness, joy, understanding, sympathy, tolerance, forgiveness.....
We give of ourselves when we give gifts of the mind: ideas, dreams, purposes, ideals, principles,, plans, inventions, projects, poetry.......
We give of ourselves when we give gifts of the spirit: prayer, vision, beauty, aspiration, peace, faith...
We give of ourselves when we give the gifts of time; when we are minute builders of more abundant living for others......
We give of ourselves when we give the gift of words; encouragement, inspiration, guidance,......
We should give of ourselves with the radiant warmth of sunshine and the glow of an open fire.
We should give our community a good man(woman).
We should give our home a devoted husband(wife) and father(mother)
We should give our country a loyal citizen.
We should give our world a lift toward that one far-off divine event toward which all creation moves.
 The finest gift a man can give to his age and time is the gift of a constructive and creative life.

Personally I feel we all should strive to be the very best human being we possibly can. In this world of illusion and misunderstanding I truly believe that by realizing we are all in essence pure Divine love and that we are all connected to one another by this Divine Love that this is when our search for enlightenment has at last reached that One Path that leads us all back to the ONE. I would hope that each of you have already discovered all the gifts that you possess and that you are sharing them with all of us daily. May your light always shine brightly! Do a good deed today so you can be a little more free tomorrow!

DEATH AS A NEW BEGINNING

I am sure that lots if not most of us humans view death as an ending of something and surely not a start of something new. There are so many teachings as to what becomes of us at the point of "death" when the human body no longer functions. I am not one who professes to know for sure where we go, if anywhere at all. I do have my personal beliefs which are true for me only! So with that being said I would just like to share with you a paragraph from The Urantia Book which states the following:

Love of adventure, curiosity, and dread of monotony---these traits inherent in evolving human nature---were not put there just to aggravate and annoy you during your short sojourn on earth, but rather to suggest to you that death is only the beginning of an endless career of adventure, an everlasting life of anticipation, an eternal voyage of discovery.

My wish is that each of you will just take a moment while on this earthly path to do something nice for someone and to express the Divine Love which resides in you right now. May your path be filled today with lots of love, peace, beauty, and joy.

CHOOSING A PATH WITH HEART

Even though all of us are connected to each other and to all things, we do indeed each choose which path to follow. Personally, I feel that eventually all paths leads to the same result. And that result is merging back into the One Consciousness from whence we all came from. Of course, that is only my humble opinion and that is a moot point for sure. But we all do choose the path we wish to take and those paths will be filled with many a twist and turn. I would like to share with you the following passage from Carlos Castaneda's book titled "The Wheel of Time". In the passage the character Don Juan is speaking. "Anything is one of a million paths. Therefore, a warrior must always keep in mind that a path is only a path; if he feels he should not follow it, he must not stay with it under any conditions. His decision to keep on that path or to leave it must be free of fear or ambition. He must look at every path closely and deliberately. There is a question that a warrior has to ask, mandatorily: Does this path have a heart?
 "All Paths are the same: They lead nowhere. However, a path without a heart is never enjoyable. On the other hand, a path with heart is easy-it does not make a warrior work at liking it; it makes for a joyful journey; as long a s a man follows it, he is one with it".
My sincere hope for all of you is that the path you have chosen for the moment is one with heart. One that indeed brings you much love, much joy, and much peace. If your path, on the other hand, lacks heart I hope you soon will see that it is time for a change. Sometimes a seeming simple path can indeed bring one back to the road to joy. A path that entails one to do as much good for this world as they do for themselves can often times be a great start on finding that path that does have heart. May I be bold enough to suggest that right now, while you can, just reach out and do a kind deed for someone and aspire to become part of life's solution. I leave you with thoughts of love, peace, and joy. Remember to enjoy this one Eternal Moment! Give love, accept love, be love, for that is all any of us really are.

THE PRICE OF LOVE

You ever wonder what the cost of love really is? I'm sure each one of us could come up with a different answer according to our personal experiences. Of course it doesn't cost anything to give love or to accept love. That is of course, if the love is an unconditional one. I was recently looking through some old copies of the Science of Mind magazine when I ran across the one I am talking about now. It was printed in the magazine's daily meditations and was dated May 21st of 2004. And yes, I do manage to keep some of the older copies instead of giving all of them away. Their page for this daily affirmations was titled The Price of Love. And it started out with a quote from Ralph Waldo Emerson who stated the following: He who is in love is wise and is becoming wiser, sees newly every time he looks at the object beloved, drawing from it with his eyes and his mind those virtues which it possess. That particular quote came from Emerson's work which was titled The Method of Nature. Following that quote was a quote of their own which stated this: If we look at love long enough, we shall become lovely, for this is the way of love.  That quote comes from the SOM Textbook page 491.The following is the rest of that days work and I am not sure who the author was on this one. But with that in mind here is the rest of the work.
Kahil Gibran, in his book The Prophet, said that unconditional love is not to be perceived as converging two islands into one. In love the two must remain distinct, individual, and be where the one water of love washes upon their shores. The price of love includes retaining our own individuality, as we allow the other the same right. There is an absence of love in the one who says, if you love me, you will, or will not, do a certain thing; will or will not be a certain way.
 Real love requires us to retain our identity, live with integrity, perform in strength, and offer protection, shelter, and support. The price of love prevents us from allowing ourselves to be manipulated, and thereby becoming shapeless, characterless, and unable to function from truth. Love is present when one can say, "I allow you all of the space you require to be yourself, because that is the only way I can mirror your gift to my life."
 When I feel loved, I know I can safely tell you how I feel, what I think, and reveal to you the poetry of my dreams. Since I know you are for me, and know you believe I can become what I want to be, I want you to know my past limitations do not bind me. You can count on me to grow. You can count on me to be there if you fall. I will catch you and put your feet back on the path you have chosen==as you would do for me. This is the price of love. Because my love for you comes from the Cosmic Sea, I have endless currency to pay the price.
 And the writer then leaves us with the following affirmation:
Today I am reborn in the river of your love, washing the shores of my soul.

I wish I had kept the entire magazine from which this reading came but instead I had torn out the one page to keep and gave away the magazine to someone else on life's pathway of discovery. I would love to know who the author was because I feel they said it perfectly what unconditional love is and what it costs us. My hope is that all of you got some good from this work and that in your life you have at least one soul who will Always love you unconditionally. Because if you do, then everything else in this life is pure gravy! I leave all of you with a reminder to try and do something nice for someone just because you can. And please remember that you are LOVED. Even if it doesn't always feel that way! Go out in this world with a smile and lend a helping hand when you can and always enjoy this One Eternal Moment! Bless your hearts, all of you!

Satisfaction

Are you truly satisfied with your life as it now stands? I sure hope you are. Living a life of satisfaction is truly rewarding while a life lived but not finding satisfaction can seem like torment. I share with you today the following quote from Ralph Waldo Trine who stated: "To find one's center, to become centered in the Infinite, is the first great essential of every satisfactory life." My sincere hope is that each of you will find the path that serves to make your life one of true satisfaction. Be not dismayed if you haven't reached that state of consciousness yet, for life will surely offer you many opportunities to discover total satisfaction. Just be prepared to recognize these opportunities when they do knock on your door. Stay thirsty for learning and keep an open mind. And never be so content that the fires inside of you die to just an ember. Show love, give love, accept love, and be love, for that is truly all we are.

THE BEST YOU CAN DO IS FORGIVE

W. Frederic Keeler once stated: "Forgive others  and forgive yourself. You have that power."  That is such a simple statement but to me it holds the key to living a life of fulfillment. Oft times we go through our daily routines while holding grudges or ill feelings toward someone we feel has wronged us. But more often that that we go through our entire lives sometimes and never forgive ourselves for the things we feel were mistakes in our own choices. And I feel that is just as harmful to us as not forgiving others for their poor choices. You want to feel light and beautiful today? If so just forgive everyone who has caused you trouble and don't forget to forgive yourself of the things you have done whether real or imagined. Any negative condition in your life can be healed. The Science of Mind states this: We must know that the All-Powerful Spirit is ever available and ever equal to the healing of any discordant condition.... Here's wishing that all your troubles will be few and that you will allow your light of perfect love to shine brightly at all times! Do something nice for yourself cause you deserve it. And after that do something nice for someone else. Forgive and live large!!

A LIFE OF SERVICE

This world of illusion we find ourselves in at the moment sure seems contradictory to the world I would rather see. To me seems like most everything we human beings try to accomplish is things that will gain us fame, fortune, and respect. Don't get me wrong, I believe there is nothing wrong with trying to gain these things for ourselves and those we love. The problem is, as I see it, is that we don't seem to care who we have to step on to get those things. The law of Karma will always see to it that we reap what we sow. It may take a while for this law to catch up with us but indeed it surely will. Speaking of karma my blogger friend Deepian just recently wrote a wonderful entry about karma. I think you would find that interesting so if you get a chance check his blog out. Seems to me we are going about seeking our "good" on this plane by going in the opposite direction we should be going. Instead of living a life of wanting others to be of service to us, we might be a lot better off by trying to live a life of service to others. At least that is my humble opinion. And living a life of service doesn't mean doing without what we want for ourselves in this life. Rather it means that living a life that includes doing good for others will enable the karmic law to attract to us those things we "need' to be happy and content. I truly believe with all my heart that the more good we do for others the more good will appear in our lives. It isn't rocket science to see this. One can only attract into their own lives the good that they are willing to give to others. And the good news is this  my friends, you don't need money, fame, or anything else to do a kind deed for someone. All you need to live a life of service has been afforded you since the day you arrived on planet earth. Most of us have only allowed that "Inner Eye" of pure unconditional love at our core of being to get covered up by all the dark, dense, and cloudy vibrations of this 3D world. But I assure you of one thing, all of us have within the innate ability to once again let that light shine ever so brightly. It is up to each of us to determine how we do that. For me it is by living a life of service. It is a path I have chose to follow and my hope is that you will come along with me and all the other souls here who sincerely want the very best for everyone! I love the advice given by Daniel Boone Herring who has stated the following: "Let us begin to see what we can give, and start the limitless well of refreshment within our own souls to flowing outward." Great advice Mr. Herring! The more people who decide to live  a life of service will undoubtedly push this world to a far better state of being! Here's to hoping all of you are enjoying this one eternal moment and finding your life filled with love, wisdom, kindness, and utter joy. If not, then may I suggest you at least try doing something nice for someone right now. If you want more love in your life, then give more love to others. If you want more wisdom, then share what wisdom you already possess. (Yes, you have more than you even realize). If you want to be treated with respect and kindness, then treat those you meet with more respect and kindness. I'm sure you get the picture. And along the way if you ever get discouraged and think you are just spinning your wheels, remember all of us have those times of doubt but the light always dispels the darkness.Please, please, just let your love light shine! And also remember that you are loved and you are very special! "HUGS" to all.

WHEN THINGS GO WRONG

All of us have times in our lives when everything seems to being just the opposite of what we had envisioned for ourselves. We suffer loss of some  kind, we have a bout with some illness, we find we don't have enough money to pay the bills, we find our relationships going downhill, etc. Those are times when we may even question why we want to be here in the first place. My experiences have taught me that these times of suffering is not only normal it is also destined to happened. No matter how carefully we arrange things, no matter how many solid walls we erect to protect us, no matter how hard we try there will always be those "hard" times. That just comes with being human. Even though these times are very trying and most uncomfortable it is these times when we learn our most valuable lessons. The one thing I have found is that as long as I still have family and friends to help me through those tough times I will always survive and actually become a much stronger person because of the difficulties I have just been through. So I might suggest that all of us take time to cultivate our friendships and all of our family relationships so that in those times of trial and tribulation we will have those who can and will gladly help us to survive. The Science of Mind gives us this quote: Suffering may be salutary(beneficial) in that it leads us to a place where we learn that it is unnecessary!. I agree with that! But when we do find ourselves in a state of "need" or "want" maybe we should heed the advice that J. B. Goldstone once wrote. He said: "To improve our circumstances, we must first increase our knowledge and enlarge our consciousness." So today I wish you and yours all the best of everything. May your life be filled with much love, joy, peace, and contentment. If you care to right now do something nice for someone that should be a great start on making sure you will always have those who care about you when you need someone the most. Keep smiling and remember to enjoy the Moment for that is really all any of us have.

A NEW DAY

When we wake up to a brand new day it is one that we can choose to do anything we want. Like a blank canvas just waiting for us to put our mark on. No matter what the situation has been , no one has lived in this moment but you. It is yours, a gift from the Universe. It has no strings attached to it, you are free to choose what colors you wish to put on it. My hope is that you will choose to give love , accept love, be love, for that is truly all we are. Enjoy the weekend and try to do something nice for someone while you have the opportunity!

AS A MAN THINKETH

I do believe that somewhere in the Holy Bible the phrase  "As a man thinketh in his heart is what he receives. I may not have that saying down exactly right and it may even have come form some other writing I have read before. But wherever it came from it makes good sense to me. I have seen time after time people who say one thing but actually believe something else in their hearts and then they get what they really believe instead of what they say. It is I believe a fixed law of the Universe that never fails to deliver what one truly believes in their heart. But oft times I see folks who just will not change their heartfelt beliefs in something but yet they still expect to gain what it is they talk about. Take for instance the person who is asked to buy a raffle ticket to win a prize. How many times have you heard that person say it's no use because I never win anything? Yet, they then say oh well go ahead and give me a ticket and I'll win this time. Now what do you suppose the Universe is listening to? The person saying they will win or the person saying they never win anything? I would bet the farm that Universal Mind is hearing what that individual holds near to his heart, and that is that he never wins anything. So what happens? he buys a ticket and never wins! Go figure! As a man thinketh , to me means that all of us should be very aware of what our inner beliefs really are. It is so easy to fool ourselves into thinking we believe one way when in reality our true belief is the total opposite. I myself have been guilty of this many times in my own life. And I still have to guard my every thought to make sure I even know what it is I truly want. For instance, those of you who know me realize that I am a man who dreams of a world where everyone gets along, everyone shares everything, everyone loves each other and treats each other with kindness and respect. Am I a dreamer? Of course I am. The tricky part of which I speak is this. At times I allow my beliefs to hit a wall so to speak and I become discouraged with the things I see going on in this old world. It is at those times when I can feel my spoken words of believing in a great world sounding hollow because in my heart I have allowed the negative things to compromise my true beliefs. It is so easy for me to always say what it is I believe in but not so easy in keeping those beliefs close and dear to my heart. As my wonderful mother-in-law says "It is what it is" (bless her loving and kind heart). And she is so right! What I wish to see this world become depends not on anyone else but entirely upon me for it is always my choice if I want to see "good" or "bad" in this world. So I will remain a dreamer and try my very best to show love, give love, accept love for that is truly all I am. It is all any of us are I do believe. Think about that for a moment or two. If we all could but realize that fact as truth, what a wonderful world it would be. One of my favorite people I have met here on blogger, Christopher (God I am God you are)seems to be so enlightened on this subject and I would recommend that you check out his work sometime. With his help and the help of all my friends and loved ones I shall remain dedicated to showing the world how to love and be loved. Does that mean I will always be right? Of course not! I'm just like all of you with flaws and misinformation and egos and the such. And that means I can only do what I feel right in my heart to do. Will I make mistakes/ Sure I will. Will I always be happy and smiling? No way! Will I always be able to not judge others ways? Wish I could but I know I cannot. As long as I am in this human form we call a body I am subject to all the ills and darkness this world entails. But a the same time I am subject to all the love, joy, peace, and understanding the world has to offer. In closing I would like to also say thank you to all of you beautiful folks who are with me on this journey of love. Most of you I have never met but still I love you and I want you to know that you have helped in some way to help me to become a better human being and I do appreciate that so! A special thanks to Christopher Dos Santos, a man of much wisdom who has helped me so much to reexamine my beliefs and grow spiritually. Carl, (The Truth Seeker )A very talented musician and writer who has inspired me to be more aware of things. Amanda, a beautiful lady with much knowledge she shares with this world. Chris, (The Thrift Store Poets) another talented songwriter and musician who has shared with me his bands albums and their beautiful music. Eve, a lady who always gives me a chuckle with her witty blogs that serve to remind me to see the lighter side of life. Ian,(Deepian) a fellow who is a kindred spirit with me who has shown me so much wisdom in a very short time about life and another musician sharing his talent with the world. Another Ian--also known as Dark Star who it seems has taken a leave of absence from blogging for the time being but one who shared much wisdom and a passion for life that has helped to inspire me. And Dee,(Silent Whisper) bless her heart, a very beautiful and gentle soul who is one of the most talented writers I have ever met. Dee has been an inspiration to me for  many, many years. Our paths crossed on an old website called Journal Space many years ago and we still keep in contact and I know I can always count on Dee to give me the inspiration I need to keep going. And these folks are just the ones from blogging. I have really been blessed with my soulmate and family and so many many good friends. I am blessed for sure. I hope I did not omit anyone from my bloggers friends list, if I did it was purely an accident. In closing I want to leave you with a couple of quotes I love. The first one comes from Emmet Fox who once stated: "Thought is the real causative force in life, and their is no other." And finally from the Science of Mind  comes this: We have learned that there is only One Substance, out of which everything is made....... I leave all of you now with thoughts of pure love, joy, peace, and abundance. May the week ahead bring you and yours all of these things and much more! Be safe, guard your thoughts, be happy and share your love with the world. your light can be as Bright as you want it to be. So please, let it shine! Do something nice for someone just because you can and then watch as the Universe returns to you 70 times 70 every good deed you share. Bless your hearts each and every one!

HARMONY

What does the word harmony mean to you? In the dictionary I found this definition: 1. Agreement in feeling, approach, action, disposition, or the like; sympathy; accord. 2. The pleasing interaction or appropriate combination of the elements in a whole. I believe that since each of us human beings are an element in a whole then we should be able to live in harmony. But one need only to  look in their own family or neighborhood to see it sure doesn't seem that way. At first glance this 3 D world seems to be filled with individual beings that are determined to do as they please with no regard to their fellow brothers and sisters. I truly think that there are those of us who, when we are born into this world, just did not get "wired" right. Something in the brain for some reason is just not "right". This is where we get the psychopath and the sociopath. Those who for some reason cannot "see" that this world is not just here to fulfill their selfish desires. I may be wrong but those folks are usually beyond hope to ever live in harmony with the rest of us. But for those of us who would love to live in harmony with everyone, there still comes the time when we question if it is even possible at all! And I must admit I can get a little jaded myself when I see all the needless hate, spite, greed, and the like that oft times runs rampant all around us. But being the Dreamer I am I still hold on to the possibility that one day we all will realize how beautiful our world could be if we but chose to live in harmony. Will I ever see the day come when everybody honors each other with the respect they deserve. Probably not. But no one can keep me from dreaming so I'll just do the best I can to live in harmony and go from there. And my hope is that you will do the same. I wish to leave you with a quote from Elizabeth Carrick-Cook. She states: "All things return to harmony, for harmony is the natural state of being; upon it rests the principal of mathematics, of all intelligent understanding." And also from the Science of Mind comes the following. A sense of real completion can come only to that soul that realizes its Unity with the Great Whole. I agree with both of those statements and I look forward to the "time" when we all live as One! Bless you all.

PICKING UP THE PIECES

The scattered inner life, as a rule, is put together by picking up the scattered pieces and setting them in place............
 The above quote comes from Frederick W. Bailes and it says a lot about how we , as humans, oft times have to experience things we consider harsh, dirty, or just downright mean! If there is a human alive today who has not sorted through some B/S at one time or the other, then they are either living a life of total bliss or they are just not getting out in the world very much. All of us at one time or the other has had to suffer through a loss of some kind that took us on  a weary trip we did not enjoy very much. We lose loved ones through separation, divorce, and even so called death. One thing that never changes is that life will make us face changes and it is how we deal with the changes that either make us stronger or serve to further hide our light of attunement. Some of you may be dealing with a divorce, a separation, or death of someone you love very deeply. And if so I can only hope you stay strong and await the time when things get better. Emotional pain and stress is one of the hardest things to overcome. But I can say from my own personal experience that you can survive anything. I know the pain may seem so overwhelming at the moment, that you think it will never end because I have been there myself. But it will ease and you can survive if you stay strong. Things we cannot understand can either kill us or make us a better person. My hope is that whatever pain any of you are experiencing will quickly return back into the illusion from whence it came and allow you to once again come out on the other side with your light burning brighter than ever. And try to remember you are never Alone. It can seem that way I know but you always have the answer to your problem. As Nona L. Brooks once stated:"The whole of truth is always here, open to us; however, it is necessary that we find it for ourselves. Live today with a smile and a willingness to be part of this life's solutions and remember, you are never alone! I leave you with thoughts of love, peace, and joy in your life right now.

FINDING SATISIFACTION

Do you even have any idea what it would take for you to be able to say that you are satisfied with your life right now? I sure hope you have already found the key to being a satisfied person. If so then I would hope you are sharing that truth with the entire world. But if you are still seeking the answer to finding total satisfaction may your way soon be made clear and the answer found! I suppose each of us will have our own idea as to what we need to be satisfied. For me, I think just doing the very best I can to be love, to show love and to share love, will give me a feeling of being satisfied. I would like to share with you a quote from V. Manley Ayers who has stated this: "The individual's quest for divine satisfaction is the quivering of the compass needle, which is never still until it finds its North." Another quote from the Science of Mind textbook states: Let each resolve to be true to himself, true to his inner light, true to the truth as he understands it. In closing may I add that I truly believe that what we are searching for is what we are searching with. I wish each of you the very best in finding your Sacred Center, that serene place in one's heart that says, All is well! As we begin a new week let us all resolve to be a little kinder to each other and to let our love flow freely. Reach out a hand and do someone a good deed and see your world glow a little brighter because of that!

LEARNING TO LOVE

At first glace loving anything should be an easy thing to do. Or maybe I should say loving something or someone with out conditions would not be so easy. Most of us, being born within the state of love, seem to have no problem loving others as long as they are doing what we think they should be doing or saying. I do believe however that most of us attach conditions to our love. I'll love you when .... or I'll love you if.......you do this or that. So really learning to love anyone unconditionally does take a certain amount of effort on our part but I do believe one can learn to do this. Love itself can spread like wildfire if all of us can remember to put some kindling on that fire every chance we get. First we must learn to love ourselves, because one cannot give away something they do not possess. After learning to love our self we can then put forth effort to love everyone we meet. There is an old proverb that states the best time to plant a tree is twenty years ago. The second best time is today. So I would ask each of you to plant the seeds of love, peace, and togetherness wherever you are. Right now right here let us all begin a movement of loving one another. Remember the force of many always begins with the force of one! Remember to be good to yourself and even better to others. Let us shout to the world, we are One!

DISCOVERING OUR ONENESS

I have long been an advocate of believing that all life is One and shall remain that way for eternity. As human beings we must have lost our way somehow because I am continually amazed at all the terrible things we do to each other every day. I want to share with you a couple of thoughts along these lines. The first one comes from Michael Bernard Beckwith who has stated, "We are here to learn how to swim together in an ocean of love, peace, joy. selflessness, integrity, cooperation, in short--- oneness." Also from the Science of Mind comes this nugget of truth---What we need is not some greater power, but a greater consciousness, a deeper realization of life, a more sublime concept of Being, a more intimate concept of an already indwelling God.  My sincere wish for each of us is that in this very moment we shall see that we are all One and then begin to treat each other in a loving and kind way. I really believe that a life lived without love is one that is doomed to bring us much pain and sorrow while  a live lived with love is content within itself. I leave you with thoughts for a bright and loving presence each and every day. Be good to yourself and even better to others. And let your love light shine!

LOVE VERSUS HATE

The following quote comes from the late Martin Luther King Jr. who was gunned down because he dared to try and get the world to understand we are one and that love is the only way to light one's way. Some day, probably after my human experience has been long over, maybe all human life will finally realize he was right. The quote is as follows: "Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that."  My most sincere wish is that each of you will allow your light and your love shine brightly each moment. That may not "save" our human family but it sure is a good start!

WHY LOVE ANYONE

Paulo Coelho in his work "THE ALCHEMIST" answers this question for us with the following quote. "Because when we love, we strive to become better than we are." I agree and hope all of you are sharing your love with the world. Believe me, we need you!

TEARING DOWN THE WALLS

I feel that most , if not all of us tend to erect strong walls that we feel will protect us at some time or another. A lot of times we build them without consciously knowing it. And oft times those are the walls that keep us from manifesting who we really are. These walls are usually built one brick at a time and when completely built they can become quite the burden instead of protecting our ego selves as we had envisioned. There are many names we can call these walls  but no matter the name one should surely be very careful before allowing them to rule our subconscious mind. It is well to note that we ourselves are the only ones who can either build or demolish our walls as we see fit. The philosopher Milton once wrote the following: The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell and a hell of heaven. Another thought of the subject of mind comes from a Dr. Karl Menninger who has written that the human mind is far more than the brains little bag of tricks. It is, instead, the entire personality made up of a human's instincts, habits, memories, organs, muscles, and sensations, all going through a constant changing process. And to me the good doctor is telling us we should be very mindful of the things we accept and then use to erect those walls! One more thought on the subject I wish to share with you now comes from Og Mandino's character Simon Potter, an old ragpicker. In his book the Old Ragpicker is talking withMr. Og on the subject of walls. He states the following: You see, Mr. Og , most of us build prisons for ourselves and after we occupy them for a period of time we become accustomed to their walls and accept the false premise that we are incarcerated for life. As soon as that belief takes hold of us we abandon hope of ever doing more with our lives and of ever giving our dreams a chance to be fulfilled. We become puppets and begin to suffer living deaths. It may be praiseworthy and noble to sacrifice your life to a cause or a business or the happiness of others, but if you are miserable and unfulfilled in that lifestyle, and know it, then to remain in it is a hypocrisy, a lie, and a rejection of the faith placed in you by your creator. So my friends as I bid you all a fond farewell with hopes for the very best of everything for you and yours, I truly hope that those walls you have so carefully built  over the years are still an asset and have not become a burden. Be free today to love, to give, and to accept, all that is good for not only yourself but for all the people. "HUGS"

ITS A MIRACLE

Do you believe in miracles? Well, I suppose that would depend on how you define a miracle. I've mostly heard folks talk about a miracle in some religious event. Since I am not a religious person myself I had to decide how I would define a Miracle. Being a simple man I feel that just being here in this 3d world is a miracle. And that any of us as newborns and little children ever grow into adults. The way I can turn a knob on my truck's radio and pick up a station many miles away is a miracle to me. That I'm able to sit here and type these words and send them out to far reaching places is a miracle. Oh well, that's just me though. One of my favorite authors is Og Mandino. He wrote several really great books. One of them was called The Greatest Miracle in the World. If you ever get a chance to read it then good for you. I highly recommend it to all. In the book he describes a miracle in this way that I now wish to share with you. A character in the book is one Simon Potter who considers himself a ragpicker. Simon asks Og to define what a miracle is. Og's reply was "It's something that happens that is contrary to the laws of nature or science....a temporary suspension of one of these laws? Then Simon Potter ask if Og thinks he is capable of performing miracles...of suspending any laws of nature or science. Og laughs nervously and shook his head. The old Ragpicker picked up a paperweight from the coffee table and held it out to Og. Then he said "If I release this paperweight from my hand it will fall to the floor will it not? Og agreed as the old man added "What law decrees that it will fall to the floor? Og responded the law of gravity. Exactly! said Simon Potter as he let the paperweight fall from his hands. On instinct Og reached out and caught the weight before it hit the floor. The old Ragpicker folded his hands and with a self satisified grin he asked Og "Do you realize what you have just done Mr. Og?" Og replied "Yes, I caught your paperweight." More than that said Simon . Your action temporarily suspended the law of gravity. By any definition of a miracle you have just performed one!
 So there you have it friends, from here on just remember that you can indeed perform miracles if you desire to do so. And my hope is that you will be able to use these miracles to not only better your life's circumstances but that they will also help the entire world to learn to live as One! I leave all of you with big hopes for much love, peace, and joy as your experiences. Be really good to yourself and even better to others! "HUGS"

A NEW DAY IS HERE

Nothing like a brand new day greeting one in the morning! I woke up breathing today and that is my definition of being a success. I keep my goals simple you may think, but as I see it to get anything done one must first wake up to a new day. And that goes both as a physical and a mental awakening to the new day. What ever it is that you want to get accomplished today just go for it and let it happen. The new day is a blank canvas just waiting for you to begin your masterpiece any time now. However you define your personal success, you can accomplish it right now. Martin Luther King Jr. once stated the following: "Take the first step in faith. You don't have to see the staircase, just take the first step." I agree with Mr. King on that! So my hope is that each of you will be able to start on your new painting of this day and that it will not only make you feel good about yourself but also that it may help one soul somewhere to have a little better day themselves! I wish for all of you a very wonderful day!

HAPPY FATHERS DAY

To all the good dads and stepdads out there I salute you. I think the hardest job behind being a good mother would be being a good father. Enjoy your special day!

THIS THING CALLED YOU

Today I would like to share with you a paragraph taken from the book titled "This Thing Called You" which was written by Ernest Holmes. Mr. Holmes founded The Science of Mind magazine back in the 1950's. His words were true then and still today they ring true. In the book Mr. Holmes states the following: There is a pattern of perfection at the center of your being....... Your intellect senses this through intuition, your imagination feels it by divine right, your inward consciousness knows it through faith.....Any maladjustments in your life will be healed when you realize this perfect center within yourself. The vision you must catch and hold is the consciousness of a union so complete and perfect that you find no difference between your own being and God. The two are one...... The wick of your individual life runs deep into the oil of pure Being." I agree that we all have within us that state of perfect awareness and oneness. Now I know some of you may have different beliefs about God but I still feel it doesn't detract from the truth and no matter your "description" of Infinite Being nothing changes the fact that we all still have that center of perfection. My hope today is that each of you have already discovered this truth and if not then soon! Please remember to be good to yourself and even better to others and enjoy this One Eternal Moment.

REFLECTIONS FROM LIFE

What is the surest way for one to predict what is going to happen to them in the future? If  one had the answer to that I suppose they would be held in high regard, not to mention that they would be in great demand around the world. Most say there is no way to predict the future and they may be correct. But in my personal experience I have found that my future usually reflects back to me what I have been giving out. There have been times in my life when I just wanted to stay in bed and hide form the world cause I just knew "bad" things were coming my way. And guess what? The bad things did just keep coming. It took me quite a while to figure out that as long as I continued to think about all the bad stuff it did indeed come to me. Just like a magnet I was attracting all the things I did not want. When I finally wised up and begin to focus on all the "good" things I wanted I was amazed at how quickly my life did a big turn around. I feel that life reflects to us as we think. If we focus on bad we get bad. If we focus on good we get good. Sounds simple I know but I also know just how hard it is to keep a watchful vigil on our thoughts at all times. But if we can learn to train our minds to keep a positive thought pattern eventually the negatives in our life become fewer and the happier we become. In the book Living in the Light by Shakti Gawain the following is found on page 30 in a chapter called The World as Our Mirror you will find the following statements.
If you judge and criticize yourself, others will judge and criticize you.
If you hurt yourself, others will hurt you.
If you lie to yourself, others will lie to you.
If you are irresponsible to yourself, others will be irresponsible  in relation to you.
If you blame yourself, others will blame you.
If you do violence to yourself emotionally, others will do violence to you emotionally, or even physically.
If you don't listen to your feelings, no one will listen to your feelings.
If you love yourself, others will love you.
If you respect yourself, others will respect you.
If you trust yourself, others will trust you.
If you are honest with yourself, others will be honest with you.
If you are gentle and compassionate with yourself, others will treat you with compassion.
If you appreciate yourself, others will appreciate you.
If you honor yourself, others will honor you.
If you enjoy yourself, others will enjoy you

Here's hoping all of you beautiful people are enjoying this one Eternal Moment and living life with passion. Be good to yourself and even better to others and always keep on smiling!

TAKING A BREAK FROM THE EGO

Have you checked your ego self out lately? Do you ever take a moment to see if the ego is raging out of control? Or maybe a moment to just realize the ego is in total charge of everything you do? From my personal experiences I have found it very beneficial for me to take a close look at that "ego self" which I oft times confuse it with my true being. As humans we need the ego self at times I'm sure. But when it rules all our waking thoughts it can cause us much pain and sorrow. I share with you a quote from the Carlos Castaneda book The Wheel of Time which is a work about the Shamans of ancient Mexico and their views on life, death, and the universe. On page 16 of this book it states: Dwelling upon the self too much produces a terrible fatigue. A man in that position is deaf and blind to everything else. The fatigue itself makes him cease to see the marvels all around him. I find that to be very true myself. May I be bold and suggest that you check in with that ego you and see if you can take a quick respite from it and learn to be more attuned to the fact that all things are One. Be wary of all egos, and especially those of others who know no other way except through their ego. I wish you good luck in discovering and overcoming all the ills of the ego mind. And as you grow in wisdom please remember to take a moment and do a kind deed for someone and while you are at it a good deed for yourself as well!

HAPPY MOTHERS DAY

On this day when we honor all the mothers everywhere I would like to send my wishes along to all of you. Being a male I will not ever be able to  know what it is like to give birth to a child. But from what I have seen being a good mom has to be the hardest yet most rewarding job in the world. My hat is off to all of you not only today but every day. And all you sons and daughters out there remember to always let your mom know just how special she is. HUGS to all of you

YOU CAN'T STRIKE GOLD IN A SILVER MINE

I would like to share my thoughts with all of you today on why it seems we have so much trouble finding the perfect love, perfect peace, and the perfection in all things we desire. There was an old blues song by Johnnie Taylor with the title being the same as the title listed above. Every time I hear that song my mind starts wondering once again why it sometimes seems so hard to have the things we most desire made manifest into our so called reality. As I see it we spend too much time waiting for someone or some event to come along that will bring us the thing we desire. Instead of looking deep within our own subconscious mind(that being the gold mine) we look outside of ourselves (That being the silver mine). And since all good things begin in the subconscious mind we foolishly moan and groan that the thing we most want to see occur just keeps on evading our every attempt. I truly believe that as long as we think someone else or something outside of our own mind will sate our desires then we will never be fulfilled or satisfied. Sure, we will experience some desires happening despite our own unknown efforts of sabotage, but never will we understand why some things always seem to remain just out of our reach. I believe that the quickest way to achieve our dreams is just to quit asking for anything from anyone and go about our affairs with a smile and a heart of love given freely to others. And when we do feel a "need" for some experience or some love, or some money or anything else we may think we need, we should enter into our center of perfection that resides within all of us and just see the thing as already being made manifest. then say thank you and then let it all go and just get on with living a life of gratitude.I don't think any one of us can ever strike gold unless we learn to get out of the silver mine first! I leave all of you beautiful folks with the reminder that you too can be a bright light in this 3d world. Be kind to yourself and even kinder to others!

TEACHINGS OF DON JUAN

I wish to share with you today the following paragraphs from the book Teachings of Don Juan

 A man goes to knowledge as he goes to war: wide-awake, with fear, with respect, and with absolute assurance. Going to knowledge or going to war in any other  manner is a mistake, and whoever makes it might never live to regret it.
 When a man has fulfilled all four of these requisites- to be wide awake, to have fear, respect, and absolute assurance- there are no mistakes for which he will have to account; under such conditions his actions lose the blundering quality of the acts of a fool. If such a man falls, or suffers a defeat, he will have lost only a battle, and there will be no pitiful regrets over that.


May I remind all of us to remember to be really good to others as we attempt to gain more knowledge as we grow in all areas of our human egos. And if you can do something nice for someone right now and that will help ease some of this world's burden. I leave you now with thoughts of pure love, peace, and kindness. Hugs to all.

IF I COULD CHANGE THE WORLD

Do you ever think about what it is you would do if you wanted to change the world in one way or another? I have been doing that ever since I was a young fellow. Of course when I was really young I only wanted to change it in a way that would benefit me in whatever way I could devise. But as I grew older (and hopefully wiser) I began to envision change that would benefit all human beings. As I changed myself from being a "taker" to being a "giver" I really did envision a world where we all live hand in hand. Sharing all the world, living in peace, and treating each other the very best we could. After going through that stage which I now call my "saving the world syndrome" I slowly became aware that no matter how much or how hard I tried I was never going to be able to see my dreams come true. And with that realization came the fact that I personally cannot "save" anyone, nor can I drastically change the world as it seems to now be, but at the same time I can do whatever I feel led to do to help. And with that realization I became a little more "free". No longer do I feel I have to do anything other than what I feel in my heart. I no longer have to "know" all the answers. I no longer have to try and fix anyone else. I only have to follow my heart in everything I do. Finding freedom in an unfree 3d world isn't easy to do but it does become a little easier when we accept everything as it is. Does this mean I will not try to change the world? No it doesn't. I will try to change my thoughts and actions and when I do that in itself will change the world. So I will continue to try and be the very best human being I can. I will try to be a good friend, a good husband, a good man, and will try to be a positive force. After all, that is really the only thing I can do. If the world around you right now seems to be dark and things are hard, may I suggest you try changing your thoughts and actions so that you can become a light for the darkness. Darkness is only an illusion brought about by a lack of light. Let your light shine brightly right now and become a part of the solution to this worlds darkness. And as always, take a moment and try to do something nice for someone! I leave all of you beautiful folks with a quote from Leo Tolstoy who once stated: "Everyone thinks of changing the world but no one thinks of changing himself."

LABELS?

I oft times wonder why us humans have such a need to label everything we see. And even though one will label a thing as this or that the next one of us redefines the thing itself and adds a new label to it. Is it no wonder we humans cannot learn to live in peace and harmony with everyone else? Life is not that complicated I think, rather I believe we do everything in our power to make it become complicated. One person's definition is another's illusion and on and on it goes. I wish to share with you the following quote from the Tao te Ching translated by Stephen Mitchell. It says this:

When people see some things as beautiful,
other things become ugly.
When people see some things as good,
other things become bad.
 
Being and non-being create each other.
Difficult and easy support each other.
Long and short define each other.
High and low depend on each other.
Before and after follow each other.

Therefore the Master acts without doing anything, and teaches without saying anything.
Things arise and she lets them come; things disappear and she lets them go.
She has but doesn't possess, acts but doesn't expect.
When her work is done, she forgets it.
That is why it lasts forever.


My sincerest wish is that each of you wonderful folks find yourself right now in a state of peace, perfect love, joy, and with a sense of oneness for all of humanity. For no matter how any of us define things I feel we cannot ever change the fact that we are One. One with all life. Now all we need do is learn to treat each other with the love and respect we deserve. I leave you now with my love to each one of you, no matter where you are, or what you may be doing at  the moment. I would only ask that you take a moment and do something nice for someone right now and become a part of the solution that will eventually rule all life. Perfect life, perfect love, and perfect peace. I am you, you are me, and together we are life!

WHERE ARE YOUR THOUGHTS TAKING YOU AT THIS MOMENT

Hey folks. Sure hope all of you are doing great and enjoying this moment! This is a brand new day and just like an artists blank page it awaits whatever picture you desire to stamp on it. Our thoughts are able to lead us to where we want to be or they can lead us to a place we would rather not be. I know it's hard to control one's thoughts, especially when they seem to be taking us for  a ride we are not really enjoying. It does take an acute awareness for us to control those thoughts but it can be done. I surely hope all your inner most thoughts are ones of much beauty, joy, and peace. Maybe you can take a moment right now to put those thoughts to good use and do  something nice not only for yourself but for others as well. I will share with you a quote from Anthony Liccione who has stated: "Thoughts are like an open ocean. They can either move you forward within it's waves, or sink you under deep into its abyss." My sincerest desire is that you are moving along with the flow of life in an easy and satisfying way. Have fun and enjoy this moment!

WHAT ARE YOU EXPERIENCING AT THE MOMENT

Hi friends. I sure hope this finds each of you feeling great and enjoying the moment. Be assured that no matter what experience you are living right now has you in the perfect place and at the perfect time. Even if it doesn't seem that way to you. When things are flowing smoothly and we feel great it is very easy to know we are exactly where we are meant to be and that everything is working out as we want it too.. But those times when everything seems to be going wrong can bring us to a state of unrest and even turmoil. It is during those times we must dig deep into our "Center" of understanding and realize that even though things are "tough" right now we are still in our perfect place. Each experience serves as a teacher so that we can continue to grow. Be not dismayed when you feel unsettled and out of sync with life, for it is during these times of trial and tribulation  that we learn the most valuable lessons. In closing I wish to share with you a quote from Eckhart Tolle.--"Life will give you whatever experience is most helpful for the evolution of your consciousness. How do you know this experience is the experienced you need? Because this is the experience you are having at the moment." My sincerest hope for all of you is that the "lessons" of the moment will be clearly understood and will help you to relax and just enjoy the moment! If you will please take a moment and do something nice for someone just because you can. That way you will  be a part of the solution and not a part of the "problem". I wish all the best for you and yours always!

I AM YOU, YOU ARE ME

I want to share with you a quote from Helen Shueman. I think it says it all with no explanation needed.

"When you meet anyone, remember, it is a holy encounter. As you see him(her) you will see yourself. As you treat him(her) you will treat yourself. As you think of him(her) you will think of yourself. Never forget this for in him(her) you will find yourself or lose yourself."


I wish for all of you a moment of clear understanding, a moment of pure love, pure kindness, pure joy, pure peace and contentment. And as always may I remind you to try and do something nice for someone right now simply because you want to and are able to do so. Peace and love to all!

CHANGES

Hi folks. As you well know the only constant on this planet is change. Like it or not change will come. In every direction. And lots of times it comes without much warning whether we are ready or not. Personally, I am a man who doesn't really like too much change, especially when it comes to me having to get out of my "comfort zone."  I like waking up in the same place each morning and going along with my routine. But even so, I realize that change does come and I will just have to keep adapting, like it or not! Some change we consider good, some bad, and some indifferent. And with change comes a lesson for us. I hope the changes you face today are ones you are happy to make. Those you don't feel you are ready to face but have to anyway, I wish you the very best in accepting them. I ran across the following quote somewhere(not sure where) and jotted it down on a piece of paper. Now I'd like to share it with all of you.

If you realize things change, there is nothing you will try to hold onto. If you aren't afraid of dying, there is nothing you cannot achieve. Trying to control the future is like trying to take the Master Carpenter's place. When you handle the Master Carpenter's tools, chances are you will cut your hand.

Like it or not my friends, we will all have to just accept change as we grow in this 3D world of ours. I leave you now with thoughts of pure love, peace, joy, and enlightenment. And please remember to try and do something nice for one of your fellow traveler's on this path of discovery we call life!

BEING FREE

Are any of us in this 3D world really free? I suppose that could only be answered depending on one's definition of freedom. And I'm sure there are many different definitions out there. I sincerely hope you consider yourself to be free and that you are content on whatever path you are now following. I would like to share another quote from the Tao te Ching for I feel it says a lot  about what being free truly means. The quote says:
The Master does his job then stops.
He understands that the universe is forever out of control,
and that trying to dominate events goes against the current of the Tao
Because he believes in himself, he doesn't try to convince others.
Because he is content with himself, he doesn't need others' approval
Because he accepts himself, the whole world accepts him.

I feel we are all Masters of our life if we but take the time and effort to honestly explore who we really are. The only one who can give you freedom is yourself! I hope you are already there this moment! I take leave of you good folks with a gentle reminder to be good to yourself and even better to others around you. A better world awaits your recognition..may the doors be flung widely open now and forever! Peace, love, and understanding to all of you, my dear friends. "HUGS"

SEEING IN THE DARK

Today I would like to share with you a quote from the Tao te Ching. Some of you who may not be familiar with the teachings of the Tao may find this to be a contradictory work. If you are one of these folks just think deeply on what it says and just see if it doesn't ring true to you at some level. If at first you can't "see" the "truth" within please don't feel anything, just allow the words to flow into your heart and give it a few days to hit home with you. And if by chance you don't ever "get it" that is quite ok too! There is no right or wrong, there is nothing in reality except this One Eternal Moment. The quote is as follows.
The tao that can be told is not the eternal tao
The name that can be named
is not the eternal Name.

The unnamable is the eternally real.
Naming is the origin
of all particular things.

Free from desire, you realize the mystery.
Caught in desire, you see only the manifestations.

Yet mystery and manifestations
arise from the same source.
Their source is called darkness.

Darkness within darkness.
The gateway to all understanding.

I now leave all of you beautiful people with thoughts of love, peace, joy, and oneness. May your path be one of few thorns and one of much learning. As always, if you choose, please try and do something nice not only for yourself, but for another as well! "Hugs" to all.

ILLUSIONS & PARADOXES

 Since knowledge is the main key one needs to live a full life I feel each of us should do the best we can to seek out what is "real" and what is "illusion". That is if anything at all really exists. Years ago I started writing a novella called Illusions & Paradoxes. I originally intended to self publish the book but I never got around to doing anything with it. Recently I came across this old manuscript and I will now from time to time use some of it on this blog. While I am discussing "illusions" and "realities" I remind you that everything I say is only My truth. It may apply to you and then again it may seem like rubbish to you. It doesn't matter either way. An example of one of "my" illusions follows as such: One woman looks out upon the vast ocean and sees a sea of blue, another man looks upon the same ocean and sees a sea of green, a colorblind young lass looks out to the same ocean and sees a sea of gray, and yet a blind boy looks out to the same ocean and sees a sea of nothing. Yet what the blind boy sees is the only "truth" out there. For color is only a refraction of light beams. Yet, each one of these people will be experiencing their "own truth". And who am I to say otherwise? About the best we can do is to enjoy each of our personal illusions with gusto and with love directed to all. Really, what does it matter what color we call the sea? And what difference does it make the color of our skin? Why do we reject another's truth and at the same time try so very hard to get our truth excepted? Why indeed! I truly believe one cannot be "free" until the biases and prejudices against one's brother and sister have been lifted and borne away by the warm breezes of life. I leave you now with this thought from the Teaching of Don Juan who said: "Power rests"  on the knowledge  that one holds. What is the sense of knowing things that are useless? they will not prepare us for our unavoidable encounter with the unknown.' He also stated"Nothing in this world is a gift. Whatever has to be learned must be learned the hard way." So may I leave you with this thought, today become aware that no matter one's illusions in truth we remain still and realize that all life is "ONE". And realizing this take a moment right now to call an old friend, make amends with an old enemy, reach out to one in need, or just do someone  a bit of kindness that may "save" their day from the illusion of separation. We just have to learn that we cannot go on hurting others simply because we can't "understand" their illusions as being real. Like the old song from the Bellamy Brothers says--Let your love flow like a mountain stream and let your love grow with a small list of dreams and let your love show and you'll know what I mean it's the season...........To all of you beautiful folks I leave you in love, peace, and joy today and forever!

THE WHEEL OF TIME

Today I would like to share a quote with you which is taken from the book The Wheel of Time by Carlos Castaneda. I was looking for another book in my library and ran across this one. I picked it up opened to a random page and this was the message:"For a warrior to be inaccessible means that he touches the world around him sparingly. And above all, he deliberately avoids exhausting himself and others. He doesn't use and squeeze people until they have shriveled to nothing, especially the people he loves." I would hope each of you will think about what this message means to you personally. Might I suggest that you touch someone's life right now in a kindly, loving manner expecting nothing in return. As always I wish only the best to you and yours.

TAO TE CHING

It's been too long since I have written but like most everyone else, life sometimes throws me a big curve ball and I'm forced to deal with stuff I'd rather not have to do. And that in itself goes against what I try to impart to all of you. My beautiful granddaughter emailed me a while back and told me she had been reading from a book entitled TAO TE CHANG. Yes, my granddaughter is a very old soul who is already filled with much wisdom and truth which belies her tender young age. She suggested I check the book out because she knew I could find much in it to write about. Well, I looked in my library of books and saw the one she was talking about. I had read it a few times in the past but it had been a while since I had last looked at it. As I began to reread it I was struck once again by the pure simplicity of the teachings from the Tao. To a person operating strictly from the human ego mind these teachings may seem  ridiculous but to an open minded person they usually ring true with lots of wisdom. So thanks to my granddaughter I plan to share with you some of the thoughts from the Tao. The following quote comes from a New English Version of the Tao Te Ching which was written and compiled by Stephen Mitchell.
"Some say that my teaching is nonsense. Others call it lofty but impractical. But to those who have looked inside themselves, this nonsense makes perfect sense. And to those who put it into practice, this loftiness has roots that go deep. I have but three things to teach: simplicity, patience, compassion. These three are your greatest treasures. Simple in actions and thoughts, you return to the Source of Being. Patient with both friends and enemies, you accord with the way things are. Compassionate with , yourself you reconcile all beings in the world."
These teachings do sound simple at first take but most of us will find a way to make them very confusing and impractical if we are not attuned to our "ONENESS" of all Life. My hope is that all of us may one day realize that this life doesn't have to be "hard" or "easy" or anything else for that matter. Life is just to be lived! And may we all live it in a way which not only brings us much joy, peace, love, and abundance, but at the same time brings those same things into the lives of everyone we meet. I leave all you good people now with the reminder to enjoy this ONE ETERNAL MOMENT cause that is really all an of us have. And if you can, right now, do a little something nice for someone just because you want to! Here's hoping we may all learn to work together to make this human life the very best it can be.

THE RIVER OF LIFE

I have many times sat and watched the Ohio River rolling on and on. This river sits at the very end of our main downtown street here in Paducah Kentucky. One can drive through the floodwall gates when they are open and instantly be at this river which flows past and also into another river (Called the Tennessee River). Many times I have either driven down in my truck or walked down and sat on one of the bench's to just watch the river flow and relax. That is one way I have found that I can find peace and quiet in my life no matter what I am experiencing at the moment. In my meditation of the river I can compare it to my own life as a human being. Like the mighty river flows so also my life flows. At times very calm and serene and at times after a rain it flows in a torrent. But as this water flows it is always true to it's nature. It cannot be anything or do anything other than what it is! Whether it is flowing gently or rushing madly it remains a river! And whenever this water runs into some kind of blockage or dam it goes around the obstacle and keeps on flowing. For it's inherent nature is to keep moving at all times. Even when it seems so calm on the surface, it is still moving along to some degree. It has no choice but to face it's obstacles and either go around, over, or through it. Because if it ever stopped flowing it would then become no more than a lake, a pond, or even a puddle. So to remain true to it's inherent nature it has to keep flowing or it will wither and die. And when I think of this I see the essence of my life as a river so to speak. My conscious mind only knows me as a human being. The human finite mind can never truly comprehend something that is infinite. Something like my Higher Self, my Soul, my God Being or whatever else one may name that part of us which knows we are something greater than just a human ego driven entity. I know there are those of you who would disagree that we are something greater than we know. One may think that we are just a temporary form and that after we die that is it. And you know what? You could be right. But personally, I believe we are something greater and that we will continue expanding and growing as long as any part of us remains. Even if you don't agree, you may still see the similarities I see between our human life and that of a river. My life seems to feel a kindred oneness with the river. My life flows on and on. Sometimes it flows calmly, and at times it flows like a torrent. With "things" seem to be "good" in my life it is calm but still flowing gently. When I am experiencing any hardship or turmoil, that is when my life flows roughly. When I encounter a blockage or dam(negative feelings, thoughts of anger, feeling helpless, stressed out to the max, and etc) I either have to go through it, around it, over it, and if I don't do that I then become stagnant in my life experiences. The river knows only it is a river, it is not aware of each raindrop that gives it's existence to fill the river, no more than I can be aware of anything outside my human mind. I see my life as river ever flowing toward reuniting with something (An ocean or bigger river maybe) greater than it is. What is my final destination? I cannot really say because I feel my life is not headed for a final place but rather just merging into that which is Mightier than my human life. I will leave you with a thought from the book "The Tao of Relationships" written by Ray Grigg:The river flows of itself, Uninstructed...it finds its way to the sea. The downward way of wisdom takes all toward union in deep fullness. Flow easily downward, without hurry, taking the river's time. Know that the urge in blood and all its rushing is toward the great commingling pool. Remember downward and trust the river's way. My hope is that each of you find yourself at a point where all things human are flowing gently. Take heart if things seem to be going a little rough or even out of control. That only means you have come upon one of the river's obstacles in your life and with a bit of wisdom, a bit of love, a bit of hope and determination you will eventually move over, around, or through the obstacle and will once again find peace and love filling your consciousness. You are never alone! We all have our own "demons" but with some work on our minds we can and will find a way to slay the Dragon. Keep the faith my good folks and if you ever feel no one loves or understands you just remember that I do!

PETEY

If you have been a regular reader of this blog you will know that I often speak and write about unconditional love. I suppose each one of you will have your own definition as to what unconditional love means to you. To me, it means just what it says. Unconditional , no strings attached. The minute we attach any thing else, like I will love you if........ then it becomes a love that is not totally without some attachments. And even though I know this it is so difficult at times to love anyone in this way. To some love is just a human emotion. Something we seek for and try to find in other people or other events. Something that is elusive and very fragile at best. And I admit there are all kinds of love as one would describe. A love for your child is different than your love for your mate. Then there is  selfish love. Oft times we withhold our love for another until they do as we want them to do. To me this is only a dime store love, one that will eventually fade away and disappear entirely. And on and on I could go. I suppose all of us are defining our love by the actions we take and by the things we say. I will admit it is the "hardest" thing in this 3D world to ever discover and even harder to keep alive. We are all human and therein may lie the problem as I see it. we oft times fool ourselves by thinking we are truly loving someone unconditionally but upon deeper reflection we may find it too has some strings attached. So today I wish to give you an example of what unconditional love really is. At least it is the way I define love. Let me tell you about Petey. Petey is my youngest daughter's long haired Chihuahua. He became a part of her family shortly after she moved to Texas after graduation from high school. The very first time I met Petey I found some of that unconditional love embodied in that tiny little form. From the start I found out Petey was content just to be with you. When I would arrive at their house he was so quick to come running and jump in my lap. So much energy and so  much excitement in that tiny little thing! He didn't shy away just because I had not been around for a long period. He didn't question as to why I had been gone so long. He was totally in the moment and freely sharing his love and excitement just because I was there petting him. It did not matter to him where I had been, what I had done, or what I had said or felt. That's always been petey, just loving someone because he wanted to. This past Christmas we went to Texas to share the love and warmth of  a close family. When I walked in the front door after arriving there he came. So excited so elated just to see me. And it was not only me Petey does this for. It is for everyone! Any time any place no matter the situation he was content just to lay in your lap or to lay down beside your feet, content it seems just to be close to you. When he comes up to me and I see those big beautiful brown eyes looking at me I just melt. What a treasure, what a comfort Petey is to this world. A little doggie with a heart bigger than Texas who is always showing us all what unconditional love is! I'm back home now and I miss that little fellow! He may not be human but he is so much better off than any of us will probably ever be. He lives only for love. No strings, no conditions, no holding back, just pure love at it's highest! I wish I could be more like Petey and I'm trying very hard every day to get to where he is. Will I ever succeed? I don't know but I will hold on to that dream for me. And if I am not able to always be like Petey is in this world, then I can dream about the next world I may find myself in. Here's wishing all of you wonderful folks a very happy, joyous, peaceful, healthy, and prosperous new year ahead. And my hope is that all of you  will find and experience Unconditional love and will be able to hold on to that forever! In the meantime I might suggest that if you have someone in your life right now that you love just take hold of them in your arms, look inot their eyes and let each of you experience a bit of that unconditional love. And as always try to take a moment right now and do something nice for someone--unconditionly with no strings attached. This my friends is what love is really like! I leave you now with a small part of my love to you with no conditions attached. Bless all your hearts, I do love you in the best way I know how. "HUGS"