Beside Restful Waters

“Of course, being and believing are two different things.”

-Richard Rohr

Of course!

It is rather obvious, right?

The difference is……., it’s like………, Oh, you know what I mean!

Well, just what do I mean?

“The greatest of these is love.” Yes, I believe this statement. Am I loving?

Ahimsa (non harming - Sanskrit). I believe this is a good principle to guide my life. Am I harmful?

Dibaadendiziwin (humility – Ojibwe) I believe that all are equal. Do I live in prejudice?

A while back, I shared ponderings related to being versus doing. This challenge is an ongoing life style for me. I can do the 12 Step Program but I have to be sober. I can believe in the words of the Christian scripture written in 1 Cor 13. Do I love unconditionally?

I surround myself with people I enjoy. I observe myself being a loving man with you whom I enjoy. Yet is only takes a small dose of daily news to take me in to prejudicial flare ups. The people who are elected into our government become ignorant politicians. Those who have different political views become right wingers or left wingers. I can continue with a pretty exhausting list of actions which quickly re-direct my love to judgmental accusations. (I can actually feel the tension rise within me as I bring these judgements to mind.) Judgment makes me want to do unhealthy stuff. BUT….

My state of being is a state of relationship.

Our state of being is a statement of our relationships.

This mindfulness of relationships is becoming my grounding nature. You are not a dogma, law, statute, commandment or legal precedence. You share the divine energy of our Source with me. We are of the same origin. Our universe is of the same origin. Your pain becomes my pain. Your joy becomes my joy. This relationship is not dependent upon race, creed, nationality, sexual orientation, or species. We are all related. This cannot be any other way and remain healthy, vibrant and growing.

I cannot believe in our love. I cannot believe in our divine connective energy. I can simple be in the experience of this reality.

I call this reality God, Higher Power, Great Spirit, One greater than me. The label is irrelevant to me. What is relevant to me is you, us, all of creation.

As usual, I am humbled to share this place of life with you.

Today, I do not confuse usual with boring or uneventful.

Today, this usual state of mindfulness is a ray of hope, a moment of rest, an expression of deep gratitude.

Texas, your pain is my pain. Your anger is my anger. Your confusion is my confusion. Your hope is our place of rest.

Namaste’