I’ve spent a fair amount of my life angry at or disappointed by other people. When I read in Greg Baer’s book, “Real Love,” that both anger and disappointment indicate a lack of real love – unconditional love – I got mad at him and put the book down, none too gently! Mad because I knew it was true. And, mad at myself because I live so far from unconditional love so much of the time.
Thank goodness I’m a pragmatist. One day it dawned on me that being mad at someone else and being mad at myself don’t give me the life I desire.
Even when I don’t love as fully as I would like, how does loving even less – being mad – help me love more, live more?
What if I quit blaming? What if I practice acceptance and compassion when I feel disappointed by others? What if I notice that feeling disappointed by others always indicates disappointment with myself? What if I then remind myself that I am devoted to a life of love, freedom, generosity, expression, acceptance, compassion and joy?
I am reminded of a line from “A Course in Miracles,” “everything is love or a cry for love.” What if, moment by moment, day by day, I use any anger or disappointment as a reminder to do what works? Choose love instead.
How about you? Care to join me?
Simple. Not always easy. With the pause of a deep breath, possible.
Post your own reflections, comments or spiritual
growth progress in the comments . . .
