WORDS LIKE LIGHT 

Thursday, November 18, 2021

STORMS AND SUNSHINE

            Over the course of my 79 years, I have experienced many personal ‘storms’, some of them just yesterday, and early this morning, as I was lying in bed, I realized, again, that all of these storms in my personal life are caused solely by thoughts.  Every fear, every worry, every dread and trepidation, every personal uproar of any kind, exists only in thoughts. All of the furors in my life are not ‘out there’ in some tragic, factual, measurable situation, but always live and have power only in thoughts. And the amazing truth is that they are not my thoughts, any more than the winds that blow around houses are the houses’ own private winds. The thoughts that throw commotion through my life sweep easily through me from nowhere and everywhere, and the truth is that they would as easily disappear if I simply saw them for what they are – hollow and harmless thoughts. If I could spread open the curtains of my awareness, I would suddenly see, again, the endless ‘sunshine’ and serenity of all of life. There would still, certainly, be problems to solve and situations to cope with, but I would be able to manage them with the calmness that comes from peaceful awareness. The so-called storms would be seen as simply passing mental winds that come, for sure, but then quietly go. I might even be able to smile as these thought-filled storms shake and flourish and then pass by. 

A MIGHTY FORCE
(about Bill M., 87, Blessings, CT, USA)

He trusts it, 
the present moment,
a force he feels 
will always stand beside him. 
The whole sky 
could sit inside 
the present moment,
and mighty storms 
of softness are stirring
inside each one. 
He walks in confidence,
for a friend
is always with him. 

And here are some scenes from our wonderful sunrise walk this morning along the Mystic River …

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