I am praying for all Humans. May the end of the Coronavirus bring a calm and tranquil sense of peace to everything that has been chaotic and unclean in our individual lives. I have to believe Mankind is being tested for a reason; we shall be ONE!
Alcohol has played a major role in my life. I personally do not suffer from alcohol abuse, but people I love and care for do. So many of us have a family member, friend, or colleague who currently is suffering from an addiction to a controlled substance. It affects everyone with whom they come in contact. I grew up in a household where alcohol was abused on a daily basis. Seemingly, it clouded the judgement of the people who were supposed to be loving and nurturing me. The actions of physical and verbal abuse were easier to accomplish when the responsible parties were intoxicated. “I didn’t know what was going on!” “I don’t remember; I was drunk.” Whatever. It happened a long time ago and the “why” is just not important now. In reality, I’ve never been angry, but rather sad for those involved. It could have been so much different for them.
For many years, I have believed that a person “chooses” to be an alcoholic. I certainly have had that gene present in me and it would have been easier each and every time that my own life’s tests and personal challenges got too overbearing or too difficult to succumb to the numbing affect of alcohol. After all, I would have an excuse; “It’s how I grew up,” and everyone would shake their head and say what a shame it was. However, because that’s all I knew and I saw each “parent” screw up his/her life for different reasons, I chose not to drink to become numb to reality. I chose not to abuse myself . That’s how I’ve come to view dependency on drugs and alcohol… personal abuse.
Now, after many years, I am still wondering if it is a choice… or is it an illness?Certainly, there are enough articles and studies to say that it might be an illness. However, it is undeniably odd that it just seems to make “sick” those who are prone to not taking responsibility for their own actions in life. Harsh, but true.
I will assume for arguments sake, that it is an “illness.” Well, if one had a cold, broke a leg, or had Cancer… they would seek professional treatment, right? I do not see this happening with most alcoholics. My family knew what they had to do to “heal” but chose not to stop. Ever! Actually, they would boast about their drinking. My mother died at 59 from liver cancer that spread to her brain… from being an alcoholic. She was angry and unhappy until her last breath. So much for the alcohol. Did she drink to forget or forget when she drank? I was afraid to ask.
Again, in my own life, I am experiencing someone who choses to drink rather than face up to the challenges and setbacks they are dealt. (There are so many of us who have friends or relatives with some extent of addictions to drugs or alcohol.) The term gut-wrenching comes to mind; it’s how it feels inside of me as I watch them destroy their life. It appears to be what they are actually choosing for themselves or why don’t they stop?
When a person drinks their entire personality changes. Everyone’s! Under the influence or high one says and does things that they might ordinarily not do. Everyone! They become empowered… or so they think. Their actions are destructive, disrespectful, and deeply hurtful to anyone and everyone they come in contact with during this “high.” The apologies afterward, although sincerely given, are soon forgotten. Forgotten by them, but still painful to the receiver who undoubtedly will remember forever.
My constant Mantra is that life is not easy, it’s not supposed to be. For all those selfishly reeking havoc on families and loved ones because of excessive drinking or drug abuse…we love you and are worried about you. Actually, you are slowly but surely taking your own life. Seek medical attention, just like you would if you had any other illness. You can do it if you believe that you can. It’s hard, it’s not a quick fix, and it can’t be done on your own. Again, I’ve been there and seen it fail. The first test or challenge the “crutch” resurfaces for support and the abuser is right back where they started.
On the other side of the substance abuse– the world is waiting. Your gift is life. Right now, it’s just existing not living.
We’ll all be waiting for you.
The whole reason for any experience in life, even negative ones, is to call forth a remembrance of who we really are… as an object of our infinite potential. We are each created as… All That Is and All That Is Not.
When we stop trying to control, move past, go beyond, cast out, go above, or run from the possibilities of “negative” experiences in our live(s) then there is no reason for them to control us anymore. There is learning to be done from each dose of negativity in our lives; there is no age limitation either.
In other words, the instant we realize and accept that everything in our life is equal, (both negative and positive experiences), then we recognize that we cannot go beyond or move past negative situations. They are just part of our life! (I have to work really hard at this.) The negative situations are equal to us, since we are infinitely everything. That’s huge to even consider.
Hence, we are accepting to just let go (or “Let Go; Let God,) and allow the idea that the possibility of a “negative” situation has the potential to happen at anytime! You can become perfectly content with that idea, since you soon realize that everynegative situation is created, (even sometimes by ourselves), and allows us to grow! It happens over and over. Some of our biggest momentary negatives, we later look back on as “gifts” in our life. We don’t see it initially, but down the road we suddenlyget it!
Magicians often use mirrors to perform their illusions because mirrors reflect a clear image of life making the illusion seem very real; you are unaware of the mirror that the magician is using. When you are the “magician” in real life situations… then there is no illusion; you see the mirror and you can therefore use the mirror as a tool.
If reality is a mirror, then you must change yourself in order to see the change in the mirror. If you desire for your hair to change then you must comb or brush the hair on your head… in order to see the change in the mirror! More times than not, people will try to change what they see by changing the mirrored reflection.
A current saying is, “Be the change you want to see in the world. ” It’s possible that this simplistic thought is exactly what that quote means. When you take responsibility for all of your reality, then you give yourself the power to change anything within your reality. Cool, huh?
We can adopt this perspective into reality, by first looking around at everything we see and hear in our reality right now. Next, close your eyes. When you close your eyes in the moment, you are telling your mind to refresh your viewpoint. Now, open your eyes and look around you again, except this time see everything as if we are looking into a mirror. Everything you are now seeing or hearing is a reflection of the mirror within you.
Everything starts from within and is reflected outwardly. If we don’t like what we see… in any aspect of our life… the reality and negative situation is ours to alter.
I’m a believer!
It is often difficult to EVEN think about talking or writing to others in a purely “self-less” context. We Human’s have a tendency to be self centered, right?
We often have our own agenda when we interact with someone on the phone, by writing, or even in person. Questions of our own interest and intent often get in the way of a more honest and realistic interaction and conversation. It is easy to forget that when we deal with someone, one-on-one, we might be doing so not only for ourselves, but for someone else as well. Often we are not only a necessary link in communication with that person, but the only link. If this is the case, we need to be a strong connection, not a weak one.
Also, make a point of “telling” someone something…only if they will feel better from the new information being offered to them. Do not tell someone a bit of information to make yourself feel better! That’s the opposite of “self-less.” You might momentarily feel “unburdened,” but it is only because you have now loaded the other person down with the negativity and hurt.
Today, ask someone something personal about themselves; this will make them feel as if they are more than a colleague, neighbor, or even a taken for granted relative. It will make them realize that they matter… to you… in more than their “designated” role.
It is often difficult to think about talking or writing to others in a purely “self-less” context. World-over we now have had months to think on it as we “Covid Indoors.”
We often have our own agenda when we interact with someone on the phone, by writing, or even in person. Questions of our own interest and intent often get in the way of a more honest and realistic interaction and conversation. It is easy to forget that when we deal with someone, one-on-one, we might be doing so not only for ourselves, but for someone else as well. Often we are not only a necessary link in communication with that person, but the only link. If this is the case, we need to be a strong connection, not a weak one.
Also, make a point of “telling” someone something…only if they will feel better from the new information being offered to them. Do not tell someone a bit of information to make yourself feel better! That’s the opposite of “self-less.” You might feel “unburdened” but it is only because you have now loaded them down with the negativity and hurt. Today, ask someone something personal about themselves; this will make them feel as if they are more than a colleague, neighbor, or even a taken for granted relative. It will make them realize that they matter… to you… in more than their “designated” role.
Sometimes, I feel frustrated and confused in life and have a day or two where I’m blue. Luckily, it is rather short lived, but I was in one of those spaces until yesterday. When I least expected it, there was God’s reminder of my own Blessings. I had been focusing only on my tests as of late. I call these my selfish times and they remind me to be more humble and accept my tests.
I first saw the homeless man, when I pulled into the parking lot of a large super-store…O.K…WalMart. I have never spent one night without a roof of some sort over my head. He was not standing visibly out in the open, where he could be easily seen, but rather off to the side. He sat on a wooden bench that almost seemed out of place near the large lot…but there he was.
At first, it struck me odd that he was not standing closer to where all the cars were coming in. I was not sure why he had even caught my eye at all, on his remote bench, as the parking lot was busy and I was being cautious. It was the first day in almost a month where the temperature and sun seemed to be in harmony and maybe he was enjoying it.
The man was holding a small sign, which eventually caught my attention; it said nothing more than HOMELESS. He held it very low on his lap. Perhap, he was worried about Security or local police chasing him away. It was then I decided to buy him some food and give it to him as I was leaving the parking lot. Inside I picked up a few prepackaged sandwiches and drinks, got my own toiletry items, and headed back out to my car. From where I had parked, I couldn’t see him any longer. Maybe he had left. When I got closer, I could see that he was still seated in the same spot…in the same position, holding the sign in his lap.
I wondered what I would say to this man. It was difficult to tell how old he was; he was so dirty. His ragged sweatshirt was torn and the soles were pulling off his sneakers, I could see that as I proceeded towards him. He spit onto the pavement in front of him with huge racking coughs and held up his hand not to come any closer. “I have a bad cold,” were his first raspy words. “I’ve been sleeping in the woods.” My bag of food seemed inadequate, but I handed it to him anyway. I hadn’t seen a full grown man quite that thin in a long time. His blue eyes were direct and he didn’t look away, but stared right at me.
Most of his front teeth were missing or badly decayed. He held such sadness in his eyes, that I involuntarily choked up. We chatted back and forth for a bit. I’m not sure why, because he was totally sober, I asked if he would stop drinking and he hesitated… then nodded agreement. When he mentioned he had just been into WalMart checking out the cough/cold medicine and then rattled off the price.. .I knew he was telling the truth about not feeling well.
If I had only stopped and asked him what he needed on the way in, I could have gotten that for him while I was in there, but I hadn’t been that insightful. It also occurred to me that maybe he was completely conning me. I do succumb to that. For some reason, he still struck me as sincere. I noticed a still burning cigarette on the ground next to the bench and asked him to try and stop smoking too.
My own brazenness amazed me! Who did I think I was asking this total stranger to stop drinking and smoking? Again, he nodded agreement. He acknowledged that the soft drink would feel good on his throat, but he didn’t know how much of the sandwich he could eat. I merely asked him that he “try” and felt compelled to mention how thin he was and that he needed to take better care of himself.
As I turned to leave, he called out to me softly. “Thank you for calling me Sir,” he said to me. My throat tightened. “God Bless you, Miss,” he said. “No, may He bless you,” was all I could utter in reply. They were the most sincere words I had said all week. As I waited to pull out of the parking lot, I gave a final glance in my rear view mirror. The man was eagerly tearing open the cellophane on the roast beef sandwich.
And all of a sudden…I got it! There, but for the Grace of God…go I!
Please all, during these very trying times, let us focus on EVERYONE who already have been given their share of Tests and Challenges.
A central meaning associated with the Tree of Life is how life itself began. It further symbolizes the origins of all creation and origination and how everything is interconnected and dependent on each other. I like that as an explanation of our own lives.
The Tree of Life symbol shows us how LIFE is created, becomes real, and then nourishes other forms of life. So, then how does a writer, such as myself, come to manifest him or herself as a writer? Where/what is your Tree of Life? How do we create our writing and then bring it to life, nourishing ourselves and other living beings? I have chosen to do it most often in my Blog entries; in this way I hope to reach the largest audience.
We design our own Tree of Life as a way to bring our dreams/ideas to fruition. We don’t go in “search of” someone else’s Tree of Life… we create a personalized design that brings us both satisfaction and fulfillment. Hopefully, we are not only bringing enjoyment to others, but things to ponder, as well. It is obvious from my writings that I have several passions in Life. Foremost however, is the Welfare and Health of children. All Children!
Start with investigating the design and symbolism of The Tree of Life for yourself. You may discover along the way a more suitable design for you: the Medicine Wheel, the Trinity, or the Labyrinth, etc. You get the idea. Choose a symbolic and/or mythical design and think on how it can be used to generate creativity and nourishment for your own ideas and creations. These ancient and widely used symbols offer up hidden and personal methods to not only explore our lives, but how we might live fully and with purpose.
In my novel, MEN CAN BE MEAN… the title is actually a pun on MEN CAN BE ME(a)N, ah yes. I used “fairytales” and “parallels” as symbolic guides to write my story. In my non-fiction work, BARE THOUGHTS, my thoughts are “bare” for all to see and also, for some, “bear” because many have chosen to turn away from getting involved themselves because it’s often easier to “exist,” rather than to get involved with difficulty. Humans often hurt humans. Also, in my daily writings, I rely on the Tree of Life and Religious Cross to bring fruition to my writing ideas. I want to reach with by thoughts (akin to branches/ arms) as many people as I can. Often, it’s similar to a much needed hug.
The world is a garden of symbolic gestures and invitations to help us become who we already are destined to be. Writers, Artists, Business Leaders, Educators, Laborers etc.
Find your inspiration and soar!
SPIRIT UNBROKEN the BLOG 