They say circumstances don’t define you
but they certainly can reveal.
In the midst of crisis,
you’ve become a person who can heal.
A person who can mold and bend,
more flexible than you thought.
A giver and receiver,
blooming from your most vulnerable spot.
Through the tornado and turmoil,
you’ve stood strong like a tree.
And if these circumstances have revealed you,
then I love who you’ve proven to be.
The problem is not lack of love for ourselves. The problem is lack of belief in God’s love for us.
Consider every man you meet to be your superior in some way. By doing this, you will learn from him.
Desiderata
Go placidly amid the noise and haste,
and remember what peace there may be in silence.
As far as possible without surrender
be on good terms with all persons.
Speak your truth quietly and clearly;
and listen to others,
even the dull and the ignorant;
they too have their story.
Avoid loud and aggressive persons,
they are vexations to the spirit.
If you compare yourself with others,
you may become vain and bitter;
for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.
Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans.
Keep interested in your own career, however humble;
it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time.
Exercise caution in your business affairs;
for the world is full of trickery.
But let this not blind you to what virtue there is;
many persons strive for high ideals;
and everywhere life is full of heroism.
Be yourself.
Especially, do not feign affection.
Neither be cynical about love;
for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment
it is as perennial as the grass.
Take kindly the counsel of the years,
gracefully surrendering the things of youth.
Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.
But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings.
Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.
Beyond a wholesome discipline,
be gentle with yourself.
You are a child of the universe,
no less than the trees and the stars;
you have a right to be here.
And whether or not it is clear to you,
no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should.
Therefore be at peace with God,
whatever you conceive Him to be,
and whatever your labors and aspirations,
in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams,
it is still a beautiful world.
Be cheerful.
Strive to be happy.
As opposed to the Ego which can be called our False Self. Our True Self is our soul. Once discovered, our True Self can serve as an incredible reference point that is both within us and beyond us.
Our True Self knows that there is nowhere to go or get to, we are already at home. It doesn’t strive or reach, cling or grasp, it simply is.
If only we can find and embrace our soul, our True Self, we will stumble upon the utter freedom that has been around us and within us all along.
Don’t underestimate the value of your failed relationships. Sure, relationships can (and often do) fail. But certainly, there is no failure in relationship. Relationship itself is always a gain.
These people, even if they’re the wrong ones, are the ones teaching you the most about yourself, what you do and don’t want in a mate, and ultimately preparing you for the one to whom you are destined. For this, if for nothing else, you ought to be able to muster at least a smidgen of appreciation 😉
Vehicle of Wisdom 