Love.

Our purpose in this life is that which we are most passionate about.  Pay attention to the “still small voice.”  Be aware of your deepest self.

Love

Now

Love by day

Love by night

Love when the snows of winter covers your life

Love when the heat of summer makes you sweat

We are here to love

Everything else is secondary

Great literature is love

Essential science is love

The core of healthy relationships is love

The only real wealth is love

The only policy I have ever lived by is love

My bible is love

The secret to life is simple

LOVE

The Moment

“There were moments in his life and he gave his life to those moments”     – Epitaph on Bill Wilson’s gravestone

When I reflect on all the lessons and teachers in my life, I am humbled by the power of the moment.  The here and now, awareness, everything resides in the moment.  The rest is either anxiety about the future or memory.

I think back to everyone in my life who taught me how to love. 

My Mom expressed sincere gratitude every time her young innocent son brought in a gift from nature. 

My Dad who stood at the outfield fence, for what seemed like hours, when I was too afraid to join the Little League. 

My friend Joe who stood with me in the rain, under the highway overpass halfway between Ohio and Pennsylvania, reminding me this was a night we would never forget.  I did not forget. 

My beautiful, loving wife Sandra who said “yes” on my third try - I finally got it right. 

My daughter Ashley, who cannot speak, lives fully every moment.  They tell me she is developmentally delayed, severely, profoundly retarded.  Ashley and I have shared life and death moments. 

The moment the doctor said, “you might want to have your sons come in and say goodbye to their sister”  - that was the moment I devoted the rest of my life to love. 

The moment when the monitor began to beep in recognition that her life was returning - that was the moment that I devoted my life to gratitude. 

The moment in the mountains of Idaho when I prayed for Ashley to be healed and I heard God’s still small voice say “she is not to be healed, she is the healer, let her do her work”  - that was the moment I devoted my life to sharing Ashley’s story with the world. 

That was the moment I devoted my life to service.

Choose Love, Choose Life, Choose Renewal

When we stay with something (relationship, occupation, etc.) too long that does not nurture us, we begin to suffer.  Our work suffers, our relationships suffer, and most importantly, our spirit suffers.  The challenge is deciding when do we keep trying and when do we let go and say good-bye.

Sometimes we are asked to dig deeper into a relationship – to love more, to trust more, to renew and refresh.

Sometimes we are being asked to let go – to say goodbye, to move on to something new.  Do not continue to invest in what is not healthy.

Choose love, choose life, choose renewal.

My Truth

The whole world could praise my friend and he wouldn’t feel better than anyone else.  The whole world could criticize my friend and it wouldn’t affect him in the least.  He was clear that all his work was internal.  He had no control over anyone’s opinion of him.  He had total responsibility of his internal awareness and growth.

I still let the opinions of others affect me.  I am pleased that I still care deeply about how people feel.  I am still trying to care less about what they think of me.

I have committed my life to God’s will.  I follow God’s still, small voice.  This truth moves from my inside to the world outside.  I want to be liked, I want to avoid conflict, I want to be understood.  Most importantly, I want to be comfortable in my own skin.  I follow my soul’s song.  I only know my truth.

www.theunboundedspirit.com

Our Reward

Even though some of us have heard God’s voice and felt God’s presence, we remain human.  In our humanity, we still feel pain along the path of life.

Often we expect a reward at the end of our endeavors.  After a good day’s work, we expect a paycheck or praise.  When we are kind and loving, we expect loving kindness in return.  Sometimes life is not fair but it is still life.  This is much better than the option.

Our reward for breathing is not applause; it is air – the breath of life. 

Our reward for progress, learning, and climbing new heights is not a new job or position, it is a larger perspective for all life. 

Our reward for being kind and loving is not reciprocity, but the beautiful feeling of compassion and empathy that brings us renewed life and enthusiasm. 

Our reward for telling the truth is honesty and integrity. 

Our reward for understanding is the knowledge that you are not alone. 

Our reward for trust is being trustworthy.

Our reward for respect is being comfortable with yourself and others.

The sole purpose of a river is to carry water.  The sole purpose of humanity is to carry life.  As the water deepens and widens the riverbed, we deepen and widen our life, our perspective.  As we go deeper and wider, we fulfill our soul’s purpose.