Failure and forgiveness: Can we truly forgive?
We live in a world that lauds action but seems unwilling to truly accept its consequences. “Action and inaction are both actions” is an unacceptable mantra in the post-Millennial age. (1) Are we prepared to be responsible, accept failure in ourselves and others, and then forgive or ask for forgiveness? “You are the people of God; He loved you and chose you for His own. So then, you must clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Be tolerant with one another and forgive one another whenever any of you has a complaint against someone else. You must forgive one another just as the Lord has forgiven you.” (2)
Continue reading Failure and forgiveness: Can we truly forgive?Podcast Episode 121: Of all the qualities we possess as human beings, time is the most valuable. It can never be replaced and thus must be spent well.
Miracles: Do you believe in them?
We are, for the most part, suffering beings aren’t we? At grade school and then at gymnasium, we imagine that we are caught in some hellish reality from which there is little perceptual escape: the pre-ordained plan must be pursued – study and tests. An education filled with endless pressure and psychological indignities is followed by even more stress at university. Nonetheless, all of my suffering will be mitigated by my disembarkation at “the port of life”– nirvana awaits.
Continue reading Miracles: Do you believe in them?Podcast Episode 120: Find your happiness through your dreams and self-reflection. Take time to nurture your soul!
The voyage
The iconic traveler traverses life’s path, aspiring to arrive at his destination. Along the way, he (1) encounters many frustrations and challenges. Why does the traveler not stop and discontinue his journey? Why not make a placid life and forget that ambition, that need? Simply put: he can’t — something drives him on. But there are many days that he himself does not know why he pushes on. Some force, some hidden resolve, resides in his breast and whips him forward. That power is the belief that, in all men, there is a mission: an intrinsic obligation comprised of something mystical and magical that must be completed before the end. What does that energy want? What is the traveler to uncover? Initially, he cannot fully comprehend his calling, but much like the layers of an onion, each time a piece is peeled away, the underlying flesh is whiter and clearer – an understanding develops.
Continue reading The voyagePodcast Episode 119: We are all in control of our emotions, both the good and the bad. It is up to me to live a fulfilling life and aspire for contentment.
I want to live an ethical life
Our society is awash with moral judgments. The media is rife with pronouncements, both good and bad (though usually bad), of this political event, that celebrity or movie star, and a further distant occurrence. We, fortunately, don’t have to think because we are being given the thought — though think we must, if we truly want to be free — but wait, I am free. I am told, in virtually all democratic countries, that I am free because I live in a democracy: I am free, aren’t I? “Who controls the past controls the future. Who controls the present controls the past. … In the end, the Party would announce that two and two made five, and you would have to believe it.
Continue reading I want to live an ethical lifePodcast Episode 118: If you want to live to a ripe old age, learn to be initially experimental, but eventually thoughtful and reflective. Life is ascendent only if you purify your being — physically, spiritually, and philosophically.
What should I believe?
It is often said that you are responsible for your life. Whatever comes of this piece of existence is my accomplishment or my failure. Noted author and speaker, Dr. Wayne Dyer (1940-2015) tells us, “Everything you do is based on the choices you make. It’s not your parents, your past relationships, your job, the economy, the weather, an argument or your age that is to blame. You and only you are responsible for every decision and choice you make: Period!”This is somewhat true, but it is certainly not the whole picture. I think that we must question the totality of this statement. All of us, especially when we are young, are in desperate need of a mentor –someone who can give us a “role model” to pattern our lives on. I must understand how to be me, or at the very least, I must learn how to decipher my gifts. These skills are not innate,though; I must be taught.
Continue reading What should I believe?