Forgiveness

We must stop identifying with the experiences in life that have hurt. We must take the greatest risk of all - love ourselves. If we keep the pain of hurt and resentment fresh, we will keep our wounds from healing. In this condition, we will not heal. 

Forgiveness has deep rewards. The depth of forgiveness substitutes peace for resentment. Our wounds begin to heal with forgiveness and life begins anew. 

The origin of the word "forgive" means to both give and receive. To "give for". The inner experience of forgiveness is to return to the flow of life. 

The flow of giving and receiving.

Peace.

Love…

Love is more than an emotion. Love is a state of self awareness. Love is how we walk through the world. Love is how we see ourselves and how we see everyone else. We may find our love for God in a beautiful tree, a flowering garden, a loving pet, or a deep and intimate friendship. 

When we focus on loving service to others, we triumph over our selfishness. The more love we give, the more love we have to give. 

Begin your loving practice by mentally wishing others a peaceful and loving day. 

Love brings peace and joy. 

Listen

It is who you are, not what you know that brings peace and healing. 

Let us open our hearts to the presence of unconditional love. Open your heart like a loving sponge and listen, listen, and listen some more. 

"Listening, in and of itself, is healing." - Dr Yvonne Kaye

Sandra

Sandra is my greatest blessing in a lifetime of blessings. In my entire life, I have never heard her speak a foul word and she always chooses to give everyone the benefit of the doubt. 

She is kind, generous, empathetic, and compassionate. She will listen to you, comfort you, and feed you. She never complains and has the patience of a saint, which she is, she never misses an opportunity to do a good deed.

46 years into our marriage and I am still overjoyed that she said "yes" on the third try. Besides her beauty, it was her morals and values that first attracted me. She lives integrity. She is my closest advisor, my personal counselor, and at times, my chief confessor.

She models love. I hope you are blessed to meet her.

United in love

The dusk gave way to the stars. The starlight shone its love on the shadowy earth. Silence wrapped me warmly in peace. The blessed night erased all boundaries and I knew: she was still here.

In the days, weeks, and months of great sorrow, we may feel more sensitive to the subtle mysteries of life. We feel a unifying pulse from our heart to the hearts of others throughout the universe.

I remember in the still gasping moments of my greatest sorrow, I still felt a connection. Starring up and out at the dark night, each star flickering, a song or poem, a message. "I love you Daddy, I am always with you."

A tender moment of creation and re-creation. A gift of expanded consciousness. I reached out into the universe and found you. A message, a moment, a molecule of pure unconditional loving energy. You always were, and always will be.

Our conversation continues each day with our morning yoga, our meal time prayer, and our evening prayers. And every time we hear a song that lets me feel your love. We are united in life. We are united in love.

Community

Nothing is easy in building true community. A community is a fellowship of people who share their sorrows and their joy. We are authentic and vulnerable as a beacon of hope. In our community, we know life is full of gain and loss, joy and sorrow, ups and downs, and we know we are not alone. We share our lives together and celebrate truth and health and healing in our fellowship of mutual caring.

Our community is like a beautiful, majestic puzzle. Each little piece is not very impressive. One piece is jagged, another has a sharp edge, one is smooth, another fits easily, and some we work hard to find where they fit. Some stand out and others appear quite ordinary. Some look valuable, others plain. The magic occurs when all the pieces are brought together in a complete whole. We create community. If even one piece is missing, the community is incomplete. Each little piece is indispensable and makes it's unique contribution.

Our community is a fellowship of unique people who together create unconditional love.

Uplift

Spiritual evolution is my goal and my practice. The greatest gift we can give the world is love and spiritual union. This spiritual union, this Divine love, uplifts all human kind. The uplifting empowers and reverberates. All humanity is humbly impacted by every kind and loving thought, word, and action. All love and forgiveness benefits everyone. The universe pulsates and returns all acts of love and compassion. All kindness exists in the universe forever.

Let us...

Let us care for all God's children as we love and care for our own precious family.

Let us intervene with hatred and violence by being loving and unified. Let us ensure that everyone in our community has food, clothing, and shelter. Let us accept peace and refuse war.

Alone we can not solve all the world's problems, but we are not alone. We are all making choices that contribute to the kind of world we want to live in.

Unconditional love lives in each one of us. If we want to change the world, we must begin by changing our mind and heart. We must be an example of the love that lives in us.

Do you enjoy Thom's blogs? Read one every day in his new book 
"Social Emotional Learning One Day at a Time: Daily Reflections: SEL 365 Days a Year"
available on Amazon here

"Darkness cannot drive out darkness. Only light can do that." Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

The world needs your light now. Bring the depth of your heart and hope and healing to everyone you encounter. What ever your work, please work for "justice for all", freedom from hate and violence, and peace. Reach out your mind, your heart, and your hands, and comfort those who are oppressed, rejected, hungry, homeless, and in pain.

Be foolish enough to believe you can make a difference and courageous enough to act with purpose and passion to serve the greater good.

Help to create a human rights revolution of love, civility, compassion, optimism, truth, hope, and a rededication to democracy.

Peace

Love is

Love is where we are and love is who we are. Love is in us and around us. Love is all life. Love is the universe. It pulsates with love. It has always been and will always be. Love is Divinity. Love is God.

The love of God is the love of you. Everything is available to you. Everything is possible. Everything that can be created, can be created by you.

Embrace love.

The word of God is in you.

The love of God is in you.

You, love, God.

What you do matters

We cannot change the past. We can acknowledge it, and learn from it. In acknowledging and learning, we can create a better future. In this process of growth, we ask for forgiveness and make amends wherever possible. This process of healing increases our courage, integrity, empathy, and compassion.

Let us be grateful for all that we have received. In our safety, let us keep others safe. Let our goodness flow into helping others. We share this life. We share our speck on this beautiful blue marble we call earth. Let us encircle each other in brother and sisterhood. Let us be humble in sharing our gifts and talents, and let us appreciate the gifts and talents of others.

We are one beautiful, diverse family of God. In our family, we include those who have no defenses. We include those who have no voice. We include those who look and act differently than we do. How we treat others reveals our character. 

"Whatever you have done to the least of my brethren." Matthew 25:40

Everything matters. How you vote matters. How you speak matters. How you behave matters. Every choice you make matters. Every action we take ripples out across the world and impacts all life. Every choice we make is a legacy we leave for future generations. We now are deciding on the future. We are deciding if there will be a future.

Kindness is the only sane and logical choice.

Enjoy Thom's blogs? Read one every day in his new book 
"Social Emotional Learning One Day at a Time: Daily Reflections: SEL 365 Days a Year"
available on Amazon here

Accepting Help

I am still learning to accept help. As I age (now 72) more and more kind and loving people support and assist me personally and professionally. Having come through open heart surgery, spinal injury, and the death of my beloved daughter; my vulnerability continues to grow. 

I continue to work to accept help and gratefully receive care from a community of medical caregivers and my incredibly talented team of educational professionals, and above all, my beloved wife Sandra. I am aware that as I diminish, others have an opportunity to thrive. They share their gifts of empathy, compassion, friendship, humor, and responsibility. 

As I put myself in the hands of caring professionals and friends, others receive the blessings of service and our lives are mutually enriched. 

Inclusion and Unconditional Love

The universe - one verse - one whole system. Limitless and purposeful in every aspect. We are one of the single points of light in this song of life. We are one shining ray of light connected to the great source. Let us be aware of who we are. Let us cherish ourselves and each other. Let us be open to new experiences and the ability to choose again. Let us see others as emanations of the Divine. Let us be compassionate, grateful, and full of joy. 

Unconditional love belongs to everyone. We are fulfilled as we share this love. The power is in INCLUSION. The more love we give, the more love we receive. Unconditional love is in everyone one of us. This love is forever expanding. Forever pulsating outward. Everyone grows in the presence of unconditional love. We are all connected in the unity of unconditional love.

When we love each other, we honor the Divinity in all those we love. This is an act of compassion as well as an act of self nurturing. What we give, we receive. Inclusion begins in our hearts and emanates outward like rays of sunlight. Let us create a world that works for everyone.

We are one

"One God and father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in all." - Ephesians 4:6

Unconditional love respects and honors everyone. Our universal family acknowledges and transcends race, language, and culture. Unconditional love sees only God's children.

Let us all be secure in our love to connect to everyone with respect, kindness, and gratitude. Let us explore with curiosity and empathy our unique differences. Let us communicate with caring and compassion.

We all belong to the same universal family.

We are all siblings in the family of unconditional love.

We are one.

Be at peace

Turn off the noise of the world. Listen to the soft truth being whispered by your heart.

Let there be a day when you turn off your cell phone. Allow the blessed silence to fill your body and soul. Wake in the morning when your body wants to; wake and breathe; just breathe. Follow your breath and when you want to move, move. Move and gently stretch every part of your body. Be aware how every part of you feels. Pay attention!

Allow yourself to feel gratitude for your life. Reflect on all the good there is in your life. What people, places, and experiences bring you joy?

Make something warm to drink and sip - slowly - sip. Feel the warmth. If you want to eat - eat. If you want to walk - walk. Do what brings you joy. Let this day be a day of rest and awareness. Look, listen, be still. Be receptive to all that is available in the abundance of nature. Simply be.

Unplug, tune in, nourish your soul.

Be at peace.