What a year 2017 has been!
It has been a year of endings for some of us, beginnings for others.
I am reminded of a song, “Everything Must Change.” If things don’t change there would be stagnation and death. Intellectually, this is not a difficult idea to grasp, but emotionally it is hard for most of us, especially if those changes were unexpected or not according to our preferences.Often when there are changes in our relationships, our finances, our careers or our health, the changes are generally regarded as losses. (We often don’t even notice the positive changes!)
It feels tough to lose a friend… or to end a relationship… or to be downsized out of a job… or to be replaced by a younger, prettier, more-desirable model in any area of life.
At this time of year, I am reminded that in nature there are answers. The changes of the seasons are more subtle here in southern California, but they are there. The deciduous trees have lost their leaves or the leaves have become brittle and dried up on the branches. Some of those leaves remind me of the part of myself that resists change. They just won’t let go. Gardeners cleaning up the soil are really preparing for lush new growth in spring. Winters do not last forever.
The poet Percy Shelly wrote: “If winter comes, can spring be far behind?”
This is such a great reminder that everything must change and ultimately everything is for the betterment and greater expression of life.
As spiritual seekers, we are called to view everything, expected and unexpected, as the evidence of the presence of God. We are called to trust that some greater good is always becoming known and present. Even the great good that we are experiencing is ushering in newness. Can we be observers of our lives with joyful anticipation? Can we notice the changes without judging them as unsatisfactory?
We recently experienced Christmas and many of us gave and received gifts. Part of my joy in giving, is seeing the receiver’s pleasure! I can imagine the angels clapping their hands in delight at my unconditional acceptance of what is.
When you give up your good for the greater good, you are proving your trust in the Divine Mind, the unconditional love.
This is a great time of year to consciously choose how you are going to view your life no matter what, as a brand new year is just days away. My intentions are:
- to say “yes” to life no matter what
- to be rigorously honest and persistently kind toward myself and others
- to look for the good and praise it
- to take full and complete responsibility for my life just the way it is
- to stop whining, explaining or justifying
- to quit pining for what is not and what will not be
- to consistently and joyfully plant seeds of greater good for my body, mind and spirit
- to recognize that God is the Source of all good and that good is at hand