The Way Out
Have
you ever given any thought to what it is like to die? Does it all just fade to
black, or is there some kind of afterlife? What do you think is the purpose of
the gift of consciousness?
Each of us is born
with a unique, separate awareness of being. There is only one of each of us. We
have not ever lived before. We are born brand-new and before us lay the destiny
of searching for truth or denying it, of wanting more or less consciousness.
The path has always been and always will be the same for everyone. Some find
meaning, live and die well, while others turn toward a different destiny. No
one begins life perfected. Our gradual perfection is a process of becoming
better through welcoming, not shrinking from, those painful awakenings.
Life
is like a complicated chess game, where pieces keep changing sides. People who
have been pawns of an enemy may have a change of heart and cross over to the
right side. It works both ways; while good people try to save the bad ones from
evil, the bad seek to corrupt the innocent and separate them from their
indwelling goodness.
Fortunately,
there is a positive way to change the end game. It is as follows: Patiently
endure offenses. If people puff you up as a holy person, do not be uplifted. If
they try to degrade, defame, betray or berate you, let not your soul be vexed.
Remain even and centered, thereby neutralizing the sting that once prevented
goodness from coming through.
Past
traumas are slowly undone through your patient endurance. We love by loving
good people and by forbearing to hate wrongdoers. In this fashion do we endear
and complete ourselves to God.
~ End of Preview ~
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