Posted on 07/17/2021 6:43:06 AM PDT by rebuildus
Recently I realized that I think way too much about what I’m going to say to people who cause me, to be honest, just a mild inconvenience!
It’s a clue to an issue that isn’t fully worked out yet.
I remember being at a park one day when I was a boy. My brother was there, too, and another boy. I was smiling, and I believe it was the other boy who asked me, “Why are you smiling?”
I was just happy to be alive. Apparently that boy had already had his happiness snatched away. Mine would get snatched soon after.
Watch almost any child, and you can see that joy of being alive. What happens to it?
We are happy until a trauma or traumas interrupts that happiness. Something or shall I say someone tempts us to hate them, or we are tempted to be fearful, or ashamed, and once we fall to that temptation, it’s all over.
Our happiness, that is.
We then spend perhaps a lifetime in an attempt to reclaim it.
Changing Perspective What we have done is change perspective. Where once we just lived–appreciating the beauty and magic all around us, now we use much of our energy to try to somehow retrieve what we have lost at the hand of the tempter. But we can never actually retrieve it from them.
But even in knowing that, we are still conditioned to try.
God created us to fall. How do I know that? Because what I’ve described happens to everybody. We are created innocent, but not strong enough to maintain that innocence. That can’t be by accident.
God knows that at some point, in order to “become like a child again,” we must “forgive those who trespass against us.”
I haven’t done that yet. At least not completely, though I’ve come a long way. I haven’t quite understood the mystery, and the magic of forgiveness. But I’m at a point where I see that my perspective is still flipped around–that I am still concerned with how others have hurt me, where I really know it’s time to let that all go, and see how I can be of help to others.
Those fleeting moments when I am able to see past myself, and seek what is good for others, are moments of lightness and gratitude. I seek more such moments.
Under Attack As the vast majority of us are ego-driven beings, when people do try to help us, or when we sincerely try to help others, those we are seeking to help typically see our honesty as an attack–actually the opposite of what is taking place. In other words, we see backwards.
But the truth can penetrate, and once the heat of the moment passes, sometimes we can see the good intent. Of course, we are truly blessed when we can acknowledge the truth in the moment, which requires letting humility overcome our ego. These are blessed moments indeed.
A Remedy Once I had made a real mess of my life (after I’d left my parents’ home and was now free to “sow my wild oats”) I knew I needed help. I went through several “self-help” paths, such as reading Dianetics by L. Ron Hubbard, before latching onto several false Christian ministers who required no change from me–just what the insincere “seeker” is looking for!
Then I found a minister named Roy Masters who taught a meditation technique he had created, or as he put it, “rediscovered.” I had some early powerful experiences with this meditation, and I believe it likely saved my life. I later became associated with another minister who taught this meditation for a time.
Although it would be overstating the case to say that I became free of my anger and judgments against others through Roy Masters’ meditation, it is fair to say that it helped me a great deal, and many have said that it has been a great help for them too.
Meditation works by fostering objectivity to one’s thoughts, which has the effect of pulling us out of the quagmire of our mind.
I rarely practice this specific meditation at this point; I do a more simple version now, which is based on more literally following the instruction to “Be still and know, that I am God” (Psalms 46:10), but I do believe that Roy Masters’ meditation can help the sincere seeker, sometimes quite powerfully. At the very least, I believe it provides a firm foundation for our spiritual life.
Mr. Masters recently passed away at the age of 93, after a lifetime of helping others find themselves. To find out more about this meditation, go HERE.
A Word of Caution As someone who literally spent decades associated with those who taught / teach meditation, I can tell you with assurance–meditation is a technique that can slow us down, and can focus us enough to be in a space to hear, but it is God who has the power to change, and I do believe, to save us too.
Further, and more important, men cannot save us, though I spent decades essentially believing that they could. The power that we give to mere men is something that very few men can handle. Almost all will take advantage of that power in one way or another.
Where does Jesus fit in? You’ve heard that “Jesus saves.”
I do not claim to know everything about how Jesus saves us, but I do know that ministers cannot replace him as the one mediator between us and God. They are not qualified to do so, and cannot handle the responsibility. Many try though–unconsciously drawing the spiritually sick to them instead of to God.
No surprise the Bible warns over and over to be wary of false prophets.
Innocence Found Actually, at this point in my life it feels like everything is finally coming together. Life can still be a challenge, and some days are better than others, but overall every day feels like a blessing–almost unreal in comparison to years past.
That boy who was happy just to be alive is returning. And it’s a beautiful thing to experience.
My wish is for you to find that happy, innocent boy or girl that you once were. It’s never too late. After all, you’re still alive, right? Never give up hope that you will find that blessed life again.
Patrick Rooney is the Founder of OldSchoolUs.com. He communicates clearly and fearlessly during perilous times about natural health, success, and freedom. To reach Patrick, email him at info@oldschoolus.com.
It is our lot in life.
We are born, we suffer, we die.
Oh well.
Actually, I think people wants to be unhappy.
USA is the best country in the world. We live the best life anybody ever lived.
Yet there are soo many depressed, suffering people. Usually depressed of nothing and suffering from the most stupid reasons.
Suffering, moving the poor banished children of Eve to mourn and weep, is a veiled gift from God. It serves to purgate and ennoble our souls before our exit from this vale of tears and entry into the eternal paradise. To benefit from this gift as God intends, we we must ultimately accept the degree and kind of suffering that is our lot. This of course includes forgiving and praying for our earthly persecutors. Ideally, such forgiveness is to flow from us during or at least immediately after the wrongful acts of commission or omission that cause our suffering.
That’s the meaning of suffering and forgiveness, Charlie Brown.
Bkmk
Here’s something Ralph Waldo Emerson wrote in an essay:
What is the ground of this uneasiness of ours; of this old discontent? What is the universal sense of want and ignorance, but the fine innuendo by which the soul makes its enormous claim?”
Our hearts are restless, Lord, until they rest in Thee.
Actually, I think people wants to be unhappy.
.....AND they choose to be unhappy. Unfortunately, it doesn’t stop there, because those same sourpuss people want everyone else to be equally miserable. Want to really piss them off? tell them “Make It a Wonderful Day”.
More effort than Having a nice day.
I realize you didn’t read the article, and that’s okay—we all scan as there’s so much we COULD read. But there’s much more to it than you think.
Agreed.
Some good points. I hope you read the article too.
Don’t forget :)
I THINK I know what that means! :)
That is true
I believe the “they” you are referring to, applies to one degree or another, to most of “us” too.
>>I realize you didn’t read the article, and that’s okay—we all scan as there’s so much we COULD read. But there’s much more to it than you think.<<
Wait.
There are ARTICLES?
LOL!
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