I have a friend who has addiction problems
He is addicted to alcohol
He is addicted to tobacco
He is addicted to sex and the thrill of the chase
When he eventually landed in the gutter ...really hitting rock bottom ... he knew it was time to take action
He booked himself into a rehab centre. He endured all that they threw at him ....he especially hated that they wrote Grandiosity next to his name on the board ...although he understands it now.
He comes from an exceedingly wealthy background ...was driven off to boarding school in the chauffeur-driven Rolls Royce Silver Cloud at the tender age of eight. Just him. And the driver. And his bags.
Daddy had already left the family. Mummy chose to go off with sister ...leaving him in a lavish setting of the sugarcane farms. Grandparents became his carers.
He often speaks of what a rich environment it was for him to grow up in. A very wealthy family, and the very poor farm workers and their families who became his friends. Culturally an interesting setting. But no mum or dad.
More than a decade ago, he was held up at gunpoint after emptying a safety deposit box at the bank. Filled with family riches. He handed everything over - a sensible action ....asked for them to throw his car and house keys back to him as they sped off. They did. They were only interested in what he had taken from the bank.
He lost a lot of valuable stuff that day ...and yet there is only one thing that he sobbed about. After having graduated from rehab, he was given a medal engraved with three words.
I am responsible
His most treasured possession. Because I knew how much it meant to him, I got a disc engraved with those words and gave it to him. Again he wept. To this day, it is tucked into his wallet. One can no longer see the engraving, but the disc represents the recognition of his achievements. He has not had any alcohol for 15 years.
He has made his life into a good one now. He has risen above his history. He chooses to be happy each day.
I share this story, because there are so many people who are so hooked into their unhappy story, and they do not take responsibility for their own feelings each day. They seek excuses for their continued misery.
My mum did not love me ...
My lover left me..
My dad beat me ...
My teacher said nasty things about me..
The neighbours are cruel to me ...
My husband does not love me ...
Despite all those things - you can choose to find happiness within. Other peoples actions cannot possibly make you happy or sad! Your emotions are your own choice.
If a child falls and scrapes his knees, a loving mum may feel sad. When that same child wins a prize, the mum may feel delighted.
However - it is not the action that causes the emotion - it is the way in which the action is interpreted that gives rise to the emotion.
So, if you had a horrid childhood - bless it. It is part of your past. But it is not an excuse or a reason to drag it around with you each day. Choose to have a happy day today.
If your partner is cruel, make a choice about when it is that you deserve more than that, and take action to change the situation.
You are responsible - for every single thing you think and do!
You are responsible - for every moment of your day!
Choose a life that uplifts, fulfills, inspires, delights..........
Because you can....
Because ~YOU ARE RESPONSIBLE~
Sunday 27 February 2011
Tuesday 22 February 2011
Sin
I wonder how many people have been stoned to death because they have sinned.
I wonder how many people have stoned others to death, or flogged them to death, or burned them at the stake, or used whatever other manner of inhumane action to punish those who have sinned? These people ..the ones who do the punishing ....how many of them did so, knowing that sheer luck had them on their particular side of the scenario. Knowing that they could so easily have been the recipient of this barbarity?
To sin means to miss the mark. Literally. It means that the arrow did not fly to the point at which it was aimed. It went astray. It missed the mark. That is all.
And yet, for thousands of years, many have suffered and lived atrocious lives, because they are bound up in rules and regulations which have to be obeyed, and if they transgress, they have sinned and therefore need to suffer!
Imagine being punished for not covering your head in a place of worship. Imagine having your hand cut off for taking some bread when you are starving.
Where is the humanity in all of that?
I remember a teenager telling me that he HAD to do specific things, otherwise he would have to burn in Hell. He was taught this at his place of worship. He did not choose to be kind and loving and gentle because it was his inner nature ( and yet it IS his inner nature) ...he acted in this way to avoid punishment. He was taken aback when I asked him how he would feel if he was kind just for the sake of being kind, for the joy it brought him. He had never considered it before. There were so many rules and regulations in place that there was no space for free thought.
Sin. Just a whole heap of lies. There is no such thing as sin. It is a concept created for control of others. So often there is no logic behind the rules. Occasionally there are health reasons for the rules. Like not eating pork in the hot climates where there is no refrigeration. But to consider it a sin to eat pork in these times? Where is the logic?
And yet ....
We chose to come to this planet. We chose our lives.... we are merely actors in the plays that we have written in conjunction with others. We play whatever role we choose. We can be Victims. We can be Martyrs. We can be Smother Mother. We can be Kings. We can be Magicians. We can be Healers. We can be anything we choose. No exceptions.
Sin is for those who have not yet learned to think for themselves. For those who have not been taught about critical thinking. It is for those who allow fear-based dogma to run their lives.
How far away from sin have you walked?
I wonder how many people have stoned others to death, or flogged them to death, or burned them at the stake, or used whatever other manner of inhumane action to punish those who have sinned? These people ..the ones who do the punishing ....how many of them did so, knowing that sheer luck had them on their particular side of the scenario. Knowing that they could so easily have been the recipient of this barbarity?
To sin means to miss the mark. Literally. It means that the arrow did not fly to the point at which it was aimed. It went astray. It missed the mark. That is all.
And yet, for thousands of years, many have suffered and lived atrocious lives, because they are bound up in rules and regulations which have to be obeyed, and if they transgress, they have sinned and therefore need to suffer!
Imagine being punished for not covering your head in a place of worship. Imagine having your hand cut off for taking some bread when you are starving.
Where is the humanity in all of that?
I remember a teenager telling me that he HAD to do specific things, otherwise he would have to burn in Hell. He was taught this at his place of worship. He did not choose to be kind and loving and gentle because it was his inner nature ( and yet it IS his inner nature) ...he acted in this way to avoid punishment. He was taken aback when I asked him how he would feel if he was kind just for the sake of being kind, for the joy it brought him. He had never considered it before. There were so many rules and regulations in place that there was no space for free thought.
Sin. Just a whole heap of lies. There is no such thing as sin. It is a concept created for control of others. So often there is no logic behind the rules. Occasionally there are health reasons for the rules. Like not eating pork in the hot climates where there is no refrigeration. But to consider it a sin to eat pork in these times? Where is the logic?
And yet ....
We chose to come to this planet. We chose our lives.... we are merely actors in the plays that we have written in conjunction with others. We play whatever role we choose. We can be Victims. We can be Martyrs. We can be Smother Mother. We can be Kings. We can be Magicians. We can be Healers. We can be anything we choose. No exceptions.
Sin is for those who have not yet learned to think for themselves. For those who have not been taught about critical thinking. It is for those who allow fear-based dogma to run their lives.
How far away from sin have you walked?
Monday 14 February 2011
breathless
There is a sense of excitement
Each time I see your face
Renders me speechless ....
Reminds me how easily
You take my breath away!
Nothing can compare
In the grand scheme of things
Colours of the rainbow shine
Hues of every shade ....
Orange. Blue. Red.
Lilac. Green.
Silver.
Sunday 13 February 2011
softly whispering ....
The day you swept into my life
Everything changed.............
Reaching out your hand to me
Receiving mine so readily
Yes. Everything changed.
No-one has ever
Interested me in this way
Could it be that you are the One?
How will we ever know?
Only time will tell
Life will unfold and reveal all, and until then..I will be
Softly whispering ...I Love you ....
Everything changed.............
Reaching out your hand to me
Receiving mine so readily
Yes. Everything changed.
No-one has ever
Interested me in this way
Could it be that you are the One?
How will we ever know?
Only time will tell
Life will unfold and reveal all, and until then..I will be
Softly whispering ...I Love you ....
Friday 4 February 2011
There's a hole in my sidewalk : Portia Nelson
Chapter One
I walk down the street
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in
I'm lost ...I'm helpless
It isn't my fault
It takes me forever to find a way out
Chapter Two
I walk down the same street
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk
I pretend I don't see it
I fall in again
I can't believe I'm in the same place
But it isn't my fault
It still takes a long time to get out
Chapter Three
I walk down the same street
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk
I see it there
I still fall in ... it's a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault
I get out immediately
Chapter Four
I walk down the same street
There'e a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it
Chapter Five
I walk down another street
I walk down the street
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk
I fall in
I'm lost ...I'm helpless
It isn't my fault
It takes me forever to find a way out
Chapter Two
I walk down the same street
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk
I pretend I don't see it
I fall in again
I can't believe I'm in the same place
But it isn't my fault
It still takes a long time to get out
Chapter Three
I walk down the same street
There's a deep hole in the sidewalk
I see it there
I still fall in ... it's a habit
My eyes are open
I know where I am
It is my fault
I get out immediately
Chapter Four
I walk down the same street
There'e a deep hole in the sidewalk
I walk around it
Chapter Five
I walk down another street
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)