Infectious Joy

Jean & Doug at Crystal Bridges

I heard someone say something which I haven’t heard in a long, long time: Misery loves company. Is that why so many of the conversations we hear center around disease and inclement weather? Yikes! I suppose it would be too rude and counterproductive to tell people why this way of existence is not conducive to happiness. But what I can do is to feel joy -- and scatter it!! -- even in the face of any suffering thought which is brought to me today. And no, this won't be a laughing-in-the-face-of-sorrow type of joy. This will be a gentle joy, a quiet joy, sent out in true compassion, born from the acknowledgement of divine reality. We know that joy loves company, too. Let's see how infectious happiness can be!

“The periods of spiritual ascension are the days and seasons of Mind’s creation, in which beauty, sublimity, purity, and holiness — yea, the divine nature — appear in man and the universe never to disappear.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 509:24-28

Falling Straight Into Love

photo credit: Mickey Finefield

In the early 1900s, people flocked to Eureka Springs for the healing waters. Thousands of people in need found their way here, as they still do today. People are drawn to our town, often without knowing why. I love watching the transformation as people's thought​s​ change from focusing on their problems to relaxing into solutions. To varying degrees, we are all realizing that true healing comes when we release our beliefs in things and open ourselves to feeling and understanding the presence of Love. When this is our only desire, when there is no other need or want, new perceptions become visible and viable. Often it takes extreme conditions to cause us to seek the understanding of our unity with God. But isn't it sweet when we skip that step and fall straight into Love!

“The great miracle, to human sense, is divine Love, and the grand necessity of existence is to gain the true idea of what constitutes the kingdom of heaven in man.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 560:11-15

Still, Small Voice of Peace

photo credit: Arthur Bruno

What is the real world? While we think we are seeing the real world — with all of its pain, sorrow, fear, and horror — we are not. The unreal world, which is reported on the news and purported to be reality by those who scoff at anything unseen to human eyes, is not the reality of spiritual creation. After years of believing that this world of duality will in some way bring us peace and happiness, most of us are ready to release that perception and see with purer eyes, looking beyond illusions toward the true substance of Life as created by divine Mind and interpreted through divine Love. Looking past the chaotic thoughts presented through outside sources, I want to listen for the still, small voice of peace which is always present within mySelf. 

"Certain moods of mind find an indefinable pleasure in stillness, soft, silent as the storm's sudden hush; for nature's stillness is voiced with a hum of harmony, the gentle murmur of early morn, the evening's closing vespers, and lyre of bird and brooklet." 

Mary Baker Eddy - Christian Science versus Pantheism Page 3:8-13

True Identity

Eureka Springs Parade - PC: Richard Quick

A Course in Miracles tells us that the body is a communication device; that it is a tool to be used and then laid aside when its use is over. In this world, we have mistaken the body for our true identity. If we no longer see our body as either good or bad, but rather as a totally neutral thing, it can be realized as what it is in truth: an extension of Love. A dear man reminded me today of something a mutual friend said about Love: there is no unconditional love, only Love. If there are conditions, it’s not really Love! Today I shall think of my body in this way, too, without conditions and limitations, but only as the Idea it is!

“Identity is the reflection of Spirit, the reflection in multifarious forms of the living Principle, Love.” Marsha Havens - Science & Health Page 477:20-22

Friends

 
I spent the afternoon with a friend who is in the hospital. She has lost the light in her eyes, so I read Mary Oliver essays to her, with lots of long pauses and occasional recounting of times we have shared. My heart swells with the Love I feel for this wonderful woman. Before I left to visit her, another old friend, Kriste-lee, artist extraordinaire, came by my house for an unexpected visit. We hadn’t seen each other in almost two years, other than a brief chance meeting in a public setting. Seeing these women with whom I’ve shared Life was uplifting and, also, a cause for much introspective remembering. Our time together is precious, dear Friends. I cherish you…

“Love never loses sight of loveliness. its halo rests upon its object. One marvels that a friend can ever seem less than beautiful." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 248:3

Brouhahas

Perhaps I'm experiencing Covid fatigue. For the last few years, I’ve played duplicate bridge. Past writings have applauded the different life views I get to hear; ideas which my regular social circle might not proffer. At the first of the pandemic, our club stopped meeting because of our extremely close contact at the bridge table. We started to play again a couple of months ago, shortly thereafter deciding we needed to wear masks, and so we have. Some people strongly disagree with this decision and there has been a bit of a brouhaha over the mandate. Tensions have mounted. Despite my personal vow to remain calm and open-minded, when a woman began to espouse extreme political views yesterday I told her exactly what I thought about it. This exchange caused me to realize it’s time for me to back off from the situation, as being in close quarters with so many people doesn’t feel like the thing to do right now. There are many times in my life I have felt the need to be quiet and listen for guidance. Hopefully a correction in thought will occur, before I alienate any more sweet little old conservative ladies. Ohmmmmm... :)

“Choke these errors in their early stages, if you would not cherish an army of conspirators against health, happiness, and success.” Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 405:9-11

Ego Busters

unknown photographer

The teachings of A Course in Miracles reveal many ideas which could be called ego-busters, any one of which may ruffle our feathers! I like to think I’m quietly listening for Spirit to speak through me today and everyday, but I know that’s not always true. Often I have an uneasy feeling somewhere around the solar plexus, or maybe there’s an odd, tired feeling in my spine, both of which I’ve learned to recognize as symptoms of an errant ego making itself known. Sometimes I might be self-righteous in response to a situation, or perhaps I feel defensive when I’m not absolutely sure about my position. When these things happen, I can choose to back up, perhaps apologize to someone, and start over with a fresh perspective, because my words and/or actions were coming from a self-righteous source. And so, dear Reader, please feel free to tell me if you think I’m wrong, or point out a situation in which I may have been insensitive. I promise not to take it personally! 

"Eloquence re-echoes the strains of Truth and Love. It is due to inspiration rather than to erudition." Mary Baker Eddy - Science & Health Page 88:26-27