Seeing Happiness Today

My Scout Kitty as a Baby

Glancing through the magazine, Real Simple, my attention was caught by an article titled, “It’s Better to be Happy for a Little While Than Unhappy Forever”. The short narrative told of a couple who found a stray kitten, loved it dearly, never took trips because they would miss their cat, then when the sweet kitty, Gem, passed on, they decided to travel. They enjoyed it very much, and were happy to come back to their home. But something was missing. They needed a cat. A friend saw one that needed a home, which reminded them of Gem, but the couple was reluctant because the cat was older and seemed to have some health problems. They decided against getting it. When the woman was lamenting their decision to her hairdresser, the stylist’s response was: “It’s better to be happy for a little while than unhappy forever.” A lightbulb went on over the woman’s head. And so they adopted the cat. Its health problems cleared up with tender, loving care, and they have loved it for five years, to the betterment of all involved! The idea of being happy right now without worrying about the possible perils of tomorrow makes me smile. I hope it does you, too!

“My present happiness is all I see. Unless I look upon what is not there, my present happiness is all I see. Eyes that begin to open see at last.”
—A Course in Miracles W-290.1:1–2

“Earth has little light or joy for mortals before Life is spiritually learned. Every agony of mortal error helps error to destroy error, and so aids the apprehension of immortal Truth. This is the new birth going on hourly, by which men may entertain angels, the true ideas of God, the spiritual sense of being.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 548:9-167t5

Feeling Inadequate?

Often we don’t witness our own reactions to life’s circumstances. Each morning, I listen to Nouk and Coreen’s unpacking of the Course in Miracles Workbook Lesson, and today’s was an eye-opener! Coreen told of her realization that she had set up her “story” to insure that she would never be “good enough”. She had accepted the expectations of others; the expectations that she could never achieve, as the bar was always raised a step above where she was — e.g., you could have run faster, gotten a better grade, been a better parent. When we accept the story of being unfairly treated, we don’t see that the ego wants us to feel put-upon, so that we will close ourself off from the truth of our being. These projections are often manifested within our bodies, and show themselves in many physical complaints. Nouk suggested we read “Fear of Healing” in the Course textbook. It’s easy to blame others for the blocks in our lives, but when we see the whole picture, we can stop accusing others, release the anger we are harboring, and walk away free of recriminations. Feel free to respond to these ideas, as there’s a lot to “unpack” here!

“How just are miracles! For they bestow an equal gift of full deliverance from guilt upon your brother and yourself. Your healing saves him pain as well as you, and you are healed because you wished him well. This is the law the miracle obeys; that healing sees no specialness at all. It does not come from pity but from love. And love would prove all suffering is but a vain imagining, a foolish wish with no effects. Your health is a result of your desire to see your brother with no blood upon his hands, nor guilt upon his heart made heavy with the proof of sin. And what you wish is given you to see.”
—A Course in Miracles T-27.II.7:1-8

“Right is radical. The teacher must know the truth himself. He must live it and love it, or he cannot impart it to others. We soil our garments with conservatism, and afterwards we must wash them clean.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 452:18-22

Happy Outcomes

In 1999, I took my young boys on a 3,000-mile road trip. We made no reservations at hotels and had no definite plans -- other than to attend women's World Cup soccer games and look for miniature golf courses. In preparation for this trip, I spent a great deal of time studying the science of Mind and bringing my thoughts into alignment with the metaphysical Principle. On this trip, we witnessed many happy outcomes, but the most dramatic was on the first day. I had worn glasses to see at a distance for more than 30 years and suddenly found I could see without them. I enjoyed this freedom until a number of years later. When renewing my driver's license, I found that glasses were needed again. Although I complied with the law and obtained glasses, I steadfastly refused to accept this prognosis as reality. The next time I applied for renewal, there were no restrictions as to sight. Instances such as this affirm my conviction to live single-mindedly, with God as my only goal, expecting happy outcomes!

“A happy outcome to all things is sure. God’s promises make no exceptions. And He guarantees that only joy can be the final outcome found for everything. Yet it is up to us when this is reached; how long we let an alien will appear to be opposing His. And while we think this will is real, we will not find the end He has appointed as the outcome of all problems we perceive, all trials we see, and every situation that we meet. Yet is the ending certain. For God’s Will is done in earth and Heaven. We will seek and we will find according to His Will, which guarantees that our will is done.”
—A Course in Miracles W-292.1:1–2:2

“Let neither fear nor doubt overshadow your clear sense and calm trust, that the recognition of life harmonious — as Life eternally is — can destroy any painful sense of, or belief in, that which Life is not. Let Christian Science, instead of corporeal sense, support your understanding of being, and this understanding will supplant error with Truth, replace mortality with immortality, and silence discord with harmony.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 495:15-2

The Whole Truth

Art by Sandy Wythawai Starbird

Have you ever read or listened to a book, or a treatise of any sort, which caused you to think deeper and clearer about a subject than before? And what if part of that knowledge was so foreign that you were not able to accept it? Perhaps there were parts you felt were not true, or maybe it was simply outside your realm of understanding. Many people think that about A Course in Miracles and/or the teachings of Mary Baker Eddy. I have felt that way about many things which come to me from an entirely materialistic viewpoint, so can understand your reluctance to accept this information as Truth. For years, I’ve shied away from reading books which present good information, but have rabbit holes of erroneous thought. In relation to the two books I’ve cited in this writing, my dear friend, Jim Young, used to say that this way of living was not difficult if you accepted it 100%, but it was extremely hard if you only admitted 99% as reality. This writing has occurred because I want it all!

“There is a tendency to fragment, and then to be concerned about the truth of just a little part of the whole. And this is but a way of avoiding, or looking away from the whole, to what you think you might be better able to understand. For this is but another way in which you would still try to keep understanding to yourself. A better and far more helpful way to think of miracles is this: You do not understand them, either in part or in whole. Yet they have been done through you. Therefore your understanding cannot be necessary. Yet it is still impossible to accomplish what you do not understand. And so there must be Something in you that does understand.”
—A Course in Miracles T-16.II.2:1-8

“We must seek the undivided garment, the whole Christ, as our first proof of Christianity, for Christ, Truth, alone can furnish us with absolute evidence.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 142:7-10

A Little Love Sown

Art by Christian Frederik Vilhelm Pedersen 1854-1926

Watering the Flowers

“Did I offer peace today? Did I bring a smile to someone's face? Did I say words of healing? Did I let go of my anger and resentment? Did I forgive? Did I love? These are the real questions. I must trust that the little bit of love that I sow now will bear many fruits, here in this world and the life to come.”

—Henri Nouwen

“This world has much to offer to your peace, and many chances to extend your own forgiveness. Such its purpose is, to those who want to see peace and forgiveness descend on them, and offer them the light.”

—A Course in Miracles T-25.III.7:8-9

“The benign thought of Jesus, finding utterance in such words as ‘Take no thought for your life,’ would heal the sick, and so enable them to rise above the supposed necessity for physical thought-taking and doctoring; but if the unselfish affections be lacking, and common sense and common humanity are disregarded, what mental quality remains, with which to evoke healing from the outstretched arm of righteousness?

—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 365:7-14

Redeem the Past; Change the Future

Photo by Aaron Springston

Paulo Coelho is one of my favorite authors. In his books, he takes us on spiritual journeys which show that we are indeed not alone, in either our fears or our realizations of Truth. Mr. Coelho’s novel, Aleph, was his most personal, and the main character seems to have many common characteristics with its creator. When he writes of spiritual progress feeling stagnant, I ache for him. These sentences stayed in my thoughts: "It isn't what you did in the past that will affect the present. It's what you do in the present that will redeem the past and thereby change the future." What a vibrant, hopeful statement! What you do right now is the pivotal point in your life. Let go of any and all grievances of any kind. Notice your thoughts as they peek out at you during the day. Are they reinforcing old, often-painful beliefs, or are they leading you out of them? Let’s redeem the past and change the future!

“It requires courage to utter truth; for the higher Truth lifts her voice, the louder will error scream, until its in‐articulate sound is forever silenced in oblivion.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 278:1-11

“The Holy Spirit looks through me today. Christ asks that He may use my eyes today, and thus redeem the world. He asks this gift that He may offer peace of mind to me, and take away all terror and all pain. And as they are removed from me, the dreams that seemed to settle on the world are gone. Redemption must be one. As I am saved, the world is saved with me. For all of us must be redeemed together. Fear appears in many different forms, but love is one.”
—A Course in Miracles W-295.1:1-7

One Primal Cause

Is reality what we are told by the daily news? We know there are conflicting reports of current events, and it can be difficult to discern reality within human perspectives. Is it what we learn in school? I remember how surprising (and embarrassing) it was to learn that most of the American history I had learned in school was no more than a myth, perpetuated by men who wanted it to be that way. We are beginning to understand that spiritual truth is not to be found within the religious institutions of our world. Everywhere we turn, there is a story which we have been told that has affected the way we view life. It is such a relief to know we can happily leave behind our stories of duality and erroneous thought, which frees us to listen for the “still, small voice” of truth.

“There is but one primal cause. Therefore there can be no effect from any other cause, and there can be no reality in aught which does not proceed from his great and only cause.”
—Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 207:20-23

“The miracle sets reality where it belongs. Reality belongs only to spirit, and the miracle acknowledges only truth.”
—A Course in Miracles T-1.IV.2:2-4