Hello, and welcome to this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter! Your SNL editors are Puditat  , Love is a Mommy (no foolin)  , kittiara, and me, windac.
I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, or whatever holiday you might celebrate, and sincerely wish each of you unlimited joy, hearty laughter, good health, and countless blessings in the year to come. May we all grow spiritually and emotionally, moving ever closer to the people we were meant to be. And thank you for tuning in every month!
"A human being is a part of the whole that we call the universe, a part limited in time and space. He experiences himself, his thoughts and feelings, as something separated from the rest -- a kind of optical illusion of his consciousness. This illusion is a prison for us, restricting us to our personal desires and to affection for only the few people nearest us. Our task must be to free ourselves from this prison by widening our circle of compassion to embrace all living beings and all of nature."
- Albert Einstein -
It must be the time of year, or perhaps it's age catching up with me, but I've spent an awful lot of time lately thinking about the past, and the people who have managed to teach this hard-headed woman a thing or two along the way. While sorting through the memories, it's evident just how blessed my life has been. Not all of the memories are fond ones of course, but those were the experiences that allowed me to learn and grow. After all, life ain't all sunshine and blue skies or, to use another cliche, into every life a little rain must fall. We truly need adversity if we are to become strong and able to handle this mysterious existence we call life.
I have a little quiz for you today. Listed below are a few questions for to you to ponder. Ask yourself each one, and answer honestly.
 Do you worry about money or the lack of it?
Does fear hold you back from doing the things dreams are made of?
Do you dread your day to the point that it's hard to get out of bed?
Does your mind continually dwell on negative thoughts and ideas?
Are you holding a grudge against someone?
Do you constantly berate yourself for mistakes, however small they may be?
Are you insecure about your looks, abilities or talents?
Do you feel the need to belittle others to make yourself feel better?
Does money and status mean more to you than most anything else?
Do you envy another for their possessions, looks, talents, etc?
Do you wallow in self pity, always asking the question, "Why me?"
Most people, including me, can answer yes to at least one of these questions. Now ask yourself why you answered yes. What is it that drives or compels you to act/think that way? We are imperfect, and we are human, so weaknesses and shortcomings are understandable and natural. But if any of the scenarios listed above hold you back, keep you down, or restrain you from forward progress - mentally, spiritually, physically or financially - there's a real problem.
It is said that, with all the emotions we humans experience, it really only boils down to two: love and fear. Stop and think about it. Isn't it true? Every positive emotion comes from love, and every negative emotion comes from fear. So, in essence, it comes down to this: fear is merely the absence of love. Puts a whole new perspective on things, doesn't it?
Now, you may dislike the man who sits behind you at work because he smells. But, it's not the man you dislike, it's the odor. You might think the lady in the check out line at the grocery store is being a jerk because she's loudly complaining about something trivial. Again, it's not the lady you think is unacceptable, it's her behavior. Our problem is, we don't look past what we find offensive. All we want to do is avoid it, run away from it, make it disappear.
"We are all full of weakness and errors; let us mutually
pardon each other our follies -- it is the first law of nature."
- Voltaire -
Going back to the questions up above, each person you come in contact with - each person you read about, hear about, see on TV, pass along the street - has weaknesses and shortcomings of their own. Do they deserve any less than we desire? We have to change our perspective! We cannot grow unless we at least attempt to see the world from another's point of view. We all have our issues and the baggage we collect along the way. If your baggage is dragging you down, it's time to try something else. It's time to get rid of the baggage. No other person can do that for you. No other person can make you happy. You alone can't do these things. If you do not have faith in a Higher Power - if you do not believe in hope and mercy - then what is the point, and what will you turn to when times get really rough? I contend that this question alone merits your time, thought and energy.
"Just as a candle cannot burn without fire,
men cannot live without a spiritual life."
- Buddha -
The message I suppose, is really two-fold. First, that we see ourselves and others for what we truly are - humans with basic needs, with life dreams and bitter disappoinments. The second should be painfully obvious by now. We need to see that what we need and desire, each and every one of us, is LOVE. Compassion, empathy, understanding, kindness, respect, patience... all of these come from love. I challenge each one of you reading today to dedicate at least a portion of your heart, a portion of your life each day, to sharing acts of love. A smile, a kind word, a cheery greeting, might mean the world to someone. You never know, it could change a life - it could begin to change the world!
"We may have all come on different ships,
but we're in the same boat now."
- Martin Luther King, Jr. -
|
Spiritual: December 28, 2005 Issue [#788]
View Portfolio
Visit Notebook
Send Gift Points
Awards
Badges
Send Email
Community Newsfeed
General Discussion
Sponsored Items
Book of Trinkets
Static Items
Books
Groups
Interactive Stories
Audio
Campfire Creatives
Community Notes
Crossword Puzzles
Documents
Folders
Images
In & Outs
Madlibs
Photo Albums
Polls
Product Reviews
Quizzes
Survey Forms
Web Pages
Word Searches
Until next time, change your perspective! 
