~ ~ Your Cross ~ ~
The young man was at the end of his rope. Seeing no way out, he dropped to his knees in prayer.
"Lord, I can't go on," he said. "I have too heavy a cross to bear." The Lord replied, "My son, if you can't bear its weight, just place your cross inside this room. Then, open that other door and pick out any cross you wish."
The man was filled with relief. "Thank you, Lord," he sighed, and he did as he was told. Upon entering the other door, he saw many crosses, some so large the tops were not visible.
Then, he spotted a tiny cross leaning against a far wall. "I'd like that one, Lord," he whispered. The Lord replied,
"My son, that is the cross you just
brought in."
When life's problems seem overwhelming, it helps to look around and see what other people are coping with. You may consider yourself far more blessed than you imagined.
(((HUGS)))
"The Awakening"
A time comes in your life when you finally get it
when, in the midst of all your fears and insanity,
you stop dead in your tracks and somewhere the
voice inside your head cries out...ENOUGH!
Enough fighting and crying and blaming and
struggling to hold on. Then, like a child quieting
down after a tantrum, you blink back your tears and
begin to look at the world through new eyes.
This is your awakening.
You realize it's time to stop hoping and waiting for
something to change, or for happiness, safety and
security to magically appear over the next horizon.
You realize that in the real world there aren't always
fairy tale endings, and that any guarantee of "happily
ever after" must begin with you... and in the process
a sense of serenity is born of acceptance.
You awaken to the fact that you are not perfect and that
not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of
who or what you are and that's OK. They are entitled
to their own views and opinions.
You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself
and in the process a sense of new found confidence is born
of self-approval. You stop complaining and blaming other
people for the things they did to you - or didn't do for you
and you learn that the only thing you can really count on
is the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say
what they mean or mean what they say and that not everyone
will always be there for you and that everything isn't
always about you.
So, you learn to stand on your own and to
take care of yourself... and in the process a sense
of safety and security is born of self-reliance.
You stop judging and pointing fingers and you begin to accept
people as they are and to overlook their shortcomings and
human frailties and in the process a sense of peace and
contentment is born of forgiveness. You learn to open up to
new worlds and different points of view.
You begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you
really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting
and needing and you begin to discard the doctrines and values
you've outgrown, or should never have bought into to begin with.
You learn that there is power and glory in creating and
contributing and you stop maneuvering through life merely as a
"consumer" looking for your next fix. You learn that principles
such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a
bygone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation
upon which you must build a life.
You learn that you don't know everything, it's not your job
to save the world and that you can't teach a pig to sing.
You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose
to carry and that martyrs get burned at the stake. Then you
learn about love. You learn to look at relationships as
they really are and not as you would have them be.
You learn that alone does not mean lonely. You stop trying to
control people, situations and outcomes. You learn to
distinguish between guilt and responsibility and the
importance of setting boundaries and learning to say NO.
You also stop working so hard at putting your feelings aside,
smoothing things over and ignoring your needs. You learn that
your body really is your temple. You begin to care for it and
treat it with respect.
You begin to eat a balanced diet, drink more water, and take more time to exercise. You learn that being tired fuels doubt, fear, and uncertainty and so you take more time to rest. And just as food fuels the body, laughter fuels our soul. So you take more time to laugh and to play. You learn that, for the most part, you get in life what you believe you deserve, and that much of life truly is a self-fulfilling prophecy.
You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for and that wishing for something to happen is different than working toward making it happen. More importantly, you learn that in order to achieve success you need direction, discipline and perseverance.
You also learn that no one can do it all alone, and that it's OK to risk asking for help. You learn the only thing you must truly fear is fear itself. You learn to step right into and through your fears because you know that whatever happens you can handle it and to give in to fear is to give away the right to live life on your own terms.
You learn to fight for your life and not to squander it living under a cloud of impending doom. You learn that life isn't always fair, you don't always get what you think you deserve and that sometimes bad things happen to unsuspecting, good people and you learn not to always take it personally. You learn that nobody's punishing you and everything isn't always somebody's fault. It's just life happening. You learn to admit when you are wrong and to build bridges instead of walls.
You learn that negative feelings such as anger, envy and resentment must be understood and dealt with in a healthy manner or they will suffocate the life out of you and poison the universe that surrounds you.
You learn to be thankful and to take comfort in many of the simple things we take for granted, things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about: a full refrigerator, clean running water, a soft warm bed, a long hot shower.
Then, you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself and to never, ever settle for less than your heart's desire. You make it a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. You hang a wind chime outside your window so you can listen to the wind.
Finally, with courage in your heart, you take a stand, you take a deep breath, and you begin to design the life you want to live as best you can.
Todays Quote:
“Remember today,
for it is the beginning of always.
Today marks the start of a
brave new future filled with all
your dreams can hold.
Think truly to the future
and make those dreams come true.”
