Life is a terminal condition, and I am at that stage, along with about thirty-five million other Americans, when this holds particular interest for me. Like many parents, I have wondered if my offspring have thought about the fact that this time of life is also on the horizon for them, and whether or not they will be prepared to respond healthfully in either instance. Two recent experiences dramatically point up how some offspring of aging American are choosing to cope with this situation.
Last Sunday I visited a family friend who has been in an assisted living facility for several years. When she had been healthy and active, she was the hub and heart of her family. Then the years sapped her health and strength, her husband died and more responsibility was placed on her adult children. After her 80th birthday, she fell several times, and is now confined to a wheelchair.
We talked candidly about the typical reasons her children and grandchildren do not come to visit her very often—too busy with their own families, living far away, and fearing she will place further demands on them for additional assistance. She also knows that the reality of facing death, even someone else’s, is more than some people can stand, so they avoid contact with the aging person.
Later that same week I attended a memorial service for the mother of a dear friend. The woman was ninety years old and had lived with my friend and her husband for the past sixteen years.
In her son-in-law’s tribute, he lovingly shared the fact that since he and his wife could not have children, they had decided to take in and care for their aging parents. This was their last “child.” While he admitted there were challenges in the beginning, his face registered the truth in this statement: “The gift in what we both gained in the day-to-day living with Mom transcends my ability to describe it.”
My companion turned to me and whispered, “Everyone should be so lucky.” I nodded agreement. I had been a volunteer for Hospice of the Valley, and have accompanied a number of loved ones on their last life journey. Yet I had never witnessed such an extraordinary memorial service where tears and laughter flowed as one in a magical expression of love.
I realize fully that these two scenarios obviously reflect the culture, character and conscious awareness of the individual families. Each situation is appropriate for the people involved.
Truthfully I don’t see either scenario being in my future—either being ignored or cared for in such a selfless, charitable way. While I know that death is meant to be a sacred, loving, life-affirming and spiritually enlightening experience, many people still believe it is the most feared of all natural life events. Until society as a whole can move out of that mind-set and accept death as the natural result of being born, many end-of-life scenarios for elderly citizens will resemble the first example.
As for me, I have made practical plans that hopefully will assist me and my loved ones through this future time. My heart desire is to be at peace within and to be so focused on the sacredness of the event—of becoming one with my true essence, going home—that this and this alone will determine the quality of my experience.
I believe the answer for every human being is to accept that death is as natural as being born. As we can release the fear of death and move out of denial, we will be free to live more fully and ultimately to die a much better death no matter the circumstances in which we find ourselves.
____________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, July 9, 2007
Monday, July 2, 2007
An S.O.S. for the American Dream
We have always had a proud history of welcoming legal immigrants into our country from around the world. The difference was that in the past, the laws of our land determined who, how many and when.
The day after the recent failure of the immigration bill in Congress, a government official was quoted on National Public Radio as saying that somewhere between 12 and 15 million illegal immigrants are residing in the United States. No one really knows the actual number, who they are or where they are.
How does a historically caring and generous nation respond to the challenge of illegal immigration without destroying the rule of law on which the United States is based, and without eroding the quality of life of its citizens? These are the reasons illegal and legal immigrants want to come here in the first place.
Everyone knows that it is a crime to enter the United States illegally. Obviously our national leaders have ignored the fact that we have existing legislation, regulations, quotas, rules, waiting periods and bureaucratic processes that must be followed and respected. This is a system accepted by most countries around the world.
While our two political parties quick-stepped around this serious issue, the legislative process was paralyzed. Perhaps the future resolution of this issue will be aided by the fact that now everyone will know what no political leader wanted to bring up or talk about. The Republicans wanted to appease their big business contributors by providing cheap labor and the Democrats wanted to retain their existing Hispanic constituencies and gain new voters when the illegal immigrants become legal. This is why neither side would make a definitive move in any direction to resolve the issue.
Even without the continuing large numbers of illegal immigrants, there are already real concerns about this country’s ability to provide the infrastructure and the financial and human resources to respond to national or international emergencies. Consider Katrina and Iraq.
Americans are already highly concerned about international terrorists breaching our borders, and the outsourcing of jobs abroad, which coupled with the hiring of illegal immigrants, lowers the pay scale of many American workers. Also, U.S. citizens who live in states that border Mexico, a major source of illegal immigrants, are feeling the economic pressure of the demand for more clinics, schools and necessary public services. These are paid for by American taxpayers, not illegal Mexican immigrants.
Yet the fact is that most Americans still feel passionate about humanely aiding illegal immigrants. The truth is, however, that we would better serve current and future citizens [legal and illegal] by demanding that the government protect our borders, stop the illegal crossings and develop enforceable solutions.
Our political leaders only need to study history or just take a look around the globe today and see the destabilizing effect that such unchecked migrations have on the host country. While it is a fact that many illegal immigrants assimilate into the fabric of the host country, in countries where large numbers have no interest in doing so, the result is often tension, disorder and violence.
This is a critical situation that will require a high level of integrity, moral, ethical and spiritual maturity as well as a compassionate heart to resolve. I believe there are creative solutions that can be developed to help long-term illegal immigrants from all countries who have actively assimilated into and enriched this country by their presence. This is positive and greatly desired.
I believe there is only one wise long-term solution, however, and that is for our leaders on both sides of the aisle to stand up for the United States, secure its borders and enforce the existing immigration laws. History records that no nation can survive without enforceable and enforced laws. Our government must assert its legal right and responsibility to decide the character and quality of legal immigrants, and when and how many enter the U.S., just as other countries do.
Calmly and without emotionally-charged rhetoric the focus must be on the true problem, which simply stated is that who is or who isn’t allowed into the U.S. is a legal issue. Our president and Congress must put party politics aside and act now to: 1) protect our borders, 2) guarantee that our nation’s laws are upheld, and 3) assure that the solutions serve the primary interests of the U.S. and its citizens, and secure our future.
I believe it would be a tragedy for the United States and for the world if our nation is weakened further or irreparably damaged by the continuing lack of decisive action on this important legal issue. The response by our leaders to this situation must be: Not On My Watch!
________________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
The day after the recent failure of the immigration bill in Congress, a government official was quoted on National Public Radio as saying that somewhere between 12 and 15 million illegal immigrants are residing in the United States. No one really knows the actual number, who they are or where they are.
How does a historically caring and generous nation respond to the challenge of illegal immigration without destroying the rule of law on which the United States is based, and without eroding the quality of life of its citizens? These are the reasons illegal and legal immigrants want to come here in the first place.
Everyone knows that it is a crime to enter the United States illegally. Obviously our national leaders have ignored the fact that we have existing legislation, regulations, quotas, rules, waiting periods and bureaucratic processes that must be followed and respected. This is a system accepted by most countries around the world.
While our two political parties quick-stepped around this serious issue, the legislative process was paralyzed. Perhaps the future resolution of this issue will be aided by the fact that now everyone will know what no political leader wanted to bring up or talk about. The Republicans wanted to appease their big business contributors by providing cheap labor and the Democrats wanted to retain their existing Hispanic constituencies and gain new voters when the illegal immigrants become legal. This is why neither side would make a definitive move in any direction to resolve the issue.
Even without the continuing large numbers of illegal immigrants, there are already real concerns about this country’s ability to provide the infrastructure and the financial and human resources to respond to national or international emergencies. Consider Katrina and Iraq.
Americans are already highly concerned about international terrorists breaching our borders, and the outsourcing of jobs abroad, which coupled with the hiring of illegal immigrants, lowers the pay scale of many American workers. Also, U.S. citizens who live in states that border Mexico, a major source of illegal immigrants, are feeling the economic pressure of the demand for more clinics, schools and necessary public services. These are paid for by American taxpayers, not illegal Mexican immigrants.
Yet the fact is that most Americans still feel passionate about humanely aiding illegal immigrants. The truth is, however, that we would better serve current and future citizens [legal and illegal] by demanding that the government protect our borders, stop the illegal crossings and develop enforceable solutions.
Our political leaders only need to study history or just take a look around the globe today and see the destabilizing effect that such unchecked migrations have on the host country. While it is a fact that many illegal immigrants assimilate into the fabric of the host country, in countries where large numbers have no interest in doing so, the result is often tension, disorder and violence.
This is a critical situation that will require a high level of integrity, moral, ethical and spiritual maturity as well as a compassionate heart to resolve. I believe there are creative solutions that can be developed to help long-term illegal immigrants from all countries who have actively assimilated into and enriched this country by their presence. This is positive and greatly desired.
I believe there is only one wise long-term solution, however, and that is for our leaders on both sides of the aisle to stand up for the United States, secure its borders and enforce the existing immigration laws. History records that no nation can survive without enforceable and enforced laws. Our government must assert its legal right and responsibility to decide the character and quality of legal immigrants, and when and how many enter the U.S., just as other countries do.
Calmly and without emotionally-charged rhetoric the focus must be on the true problem, which simply stated is that who is or who isn’t allowed into the U.S. is a legal issue. Our president and Congress must put party politics aside and act now to: 1) protect our borders, 2) guarantee that our nation’s laws are upheld, and 3) assure that the solutions serve the primary interests of the U.S. and its citizens, and secure our future.
I believe it would be a tragedy for the United States and for the world if our nation is weakened further or irreparably damaged by the continuing lack of decisive action on this important legal issue. The response by our leaders to this situation must be: Not On My Watch!
________________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, June 25, 2007
Can the U.S. Rediscover Its Moral Compass ... in Time?
The time for apathy is over. As citizens we either start paying attention or wave goodbye to the dream that was America—and our way of life.
It is time for each of us as mature adults to become part of the solution. Every thinking person in this country has a responsibility to help shift the direction of our nation, and to help save our planet.
The Law of Attraction, which means that like attracts like, holds the key. As Americans, we must answer to higher standards of character, ethics and morality in our own lives if we expect our leaders to mirror these qualities. This is the way to get back on course and keep the American dream alive for future generations.
There was a time when our moral compass held a steady course toward what was right, true and humane. Now the world situation has become a confusing, convoluted and messy quagmire due in part to our government’s foreign policies. Without a score card it’s impossible to follow our country’s complicated wheeling and dealing.
The slippery slope we have been sliding on for some time took another major downturn when we invaded Iraq with questionable intentions, and with no idea of how to win the peace. It continued at Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo Bay when we abandoned the Geneva Convention and sunk to the lowest common denominator of humanity and began torturing prisoners.
This is when most thinking U.S. citizens realized that as a nation we had lost our moral compass as well as the respect of many countries around the world.
Where are the outraged voices of our elected officials now? While many forget who they were elected to serve, I believe they give in to “the system” because they don’t know what to do to change the situation or the direction of our nation. And they have no idea if anyone would back them if they tried, and it could be political suicide to go outside the party lines.
Where is the voice of the people demanding accountability and a return to decency? Our leaders have treated us as children, keeping us in the dark about a lot of the actions that have been and are being taken. Even if we had been fully aware of our government’s transgressions when they occurred, we would not have been able to rise as one voice and demand a change. We have been lulled into national apathy by a government that uses fear tactics as a form of crowd control.
Many Americans are confused and have a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. We can no longer trust our leaders or the media, which has become a political tool for the mega conglomerates that now own and control what information we do receive.
If we want the American Dream to continue for future generations, the time to snap out of our apathy is now. I believe the solution is simple. If we want our leaders to have moral and ethical integrity, we must live these qualities ourselves.
If we’re cheating on our spouses, our families, our taxes, our employees, clients and friends, then we will be lenient with dishonest elected officials because we’re doing the same thing. If money and greed are our gods, then we will look the other way when elected officials are accused of selling us out for money. If living in denial is our choice, and we just hunker down and hope that the situation will have no impact on our lives, we will ignore the fact that our children, schools, communities, states and nation are floundering.
If our leaders mirror what we are, and I believe this is absolutely true, there is a moral imperative here and the compass points directly to us.
______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch/
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
It is time for each of us as mature adults to become part of the solution. Every thinking person in this country has a responsibility to help shift the direction of our nation, and to help save our planet.
The Law of Attraction, which means that like attracts like, holds the key. As Americans, we must answer to higher standards of character, ethics and morality in our own lives if we expect our leaders to mirror these qualities. This is the way to get back on course and keep the American dream alive for future generations.
There was a time when our moral compass held a steady course toward what was right, true and humane. Now the world situation has become a confusing, convoluted and messy quagmire due in part to our government’s foreign policies. Without a score card it’s impossible to follow our country’s complicated wheeling and dealing.
The slippery slope we have been sliding on for some time took another major downturn when we invaded Iraq with questionable intentions, and with no idea of how to win the peace. It continued at Abu Ghraib prison and Guantanamo Bay when we abandoned the Geneva Convention and sunk to the lowest common denominator of humanity and began torturing prisoners.
This is when most thinking U.S. citizens realized that as a nation we had lost our moral compass as well as the respect of many countries around the world.
Where are the outraged voices of our elected officials now? While many forget who they were elected to serve, I believe they give in to “the system” because they don’t know what to do to change the situation or the direction of our nation. And they have no idea if anyone would back them if they tried, and it could be political suicide to go outside the party lines.
Where is the voice of the people demanding accountability and a return to decency? Our leaders have treated us as children, keeping us in the dark about a lot of the actions that have been and are being taken. Even if we had been fully aware of our government’s transgressions when they occurred, we would not have been able to rise as one voice and demand a change. We have been lulled into national apathy by a government that uses fear tactics as a form of crowd control.
Many Americans are confused and have a sense of helplessness and hopelessness. We can no longer trust our leaders or the media, which has become a political tool for the mega conglomerates that now own and control what information we do receive.
If we want the American Dream to continue for future generations, the time to snap out of our apathy is now. I believe the solution is simple. If we want our leaders to have moral and ethical integrity, we must live these qualities ourselves.
If we’re cheating on our spouses, our families, our taxes, our employees, clients and friends, then we will be lenient with dishonest elected officials because we’re doing the same thing. If money and greed are our gods, then we will look the other way when elected officials are accused of selling us out for money. If living in denial is our choice, and we just hunker down and hope that the situation will have no impact on our lives, we will ignore the fact that our children, schools, communities, states and nation are floundering.
If our leaders mirror what we are, and I believe this is absolutely true, there is a moral imperative here and the compass points directly to us.
______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch/
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, June 18, 2007
An Ode to a Tomato ... What Nature Can Teach Us
In the spring I purchased six small Early Girl tomato plants and planted them in large pots on my patio. I don’t know why I did this, as a few weeks before my son had removed thirty to forty potted plants to make my watering chores simpler in the coming summer months.
As the weeks went by I watered and fed the tomato plants and said loving words to them. When the plants grew upwards of four feet tall, I remembered that in the past I had grown only Tiny Tim cherry tomatoes in containers. I don’t know what possessed me to buy the Early Girl brand, which is a medium-size tomato. It was too late now, as blossoms began to present themselves in profusion on all the plants.
One day as I watered one of the pots my eye was drawn to a tiny grape-size tomato. I was in awe and then in absolute delight. I realized I had been too busy for too long to spend any time up close and personal with nature. The joy I felt at the sight of this tiny tomato was indescribable.
In the days and weeks that followed, I began to recall earlier memories, such as the time as a young child when we were visiting my paternal grandmother in the Missouri Ozarks. She asked me to help select vegetables from her large garden for a family dinner. She suggested that I pick the tomatoes, and the event as well as the scent of the tomato vines has remained etched in my memory.
I also remembered the intense pleasure my late husband experienced in his gardening. Although he was a sophisticated and successful executive, his pride and joy in life was expressed in being a master gardener. One summer, we returned from a trip to China near midnight and he raced to the garden, yelling out as he ran “Put on a pot of water to boil.” I did. He returned a few minutes later, face flushed, a huge grin on his face and his arms overflowing with ears of corn and red-ripe Early Girl tomatoes; his favorite variety.
We sat at the kitchen table sharing our feast and glorying in the joy of cooperating with nature. I still smile when I remember his response to anyone who gave God full credit for the annual bounty from his garden. He would ask with impish [and child-like] delight, “Did you see that barren land when God had it all by himself?”
I often wondered how my husband maintained his inner calm in the stress and strain of corporate life; now I understand. It was by connecting with nature that he was able to soothe his nerves and realign with the tranquil rhythm of Life.
He was a born teacher and I a willing student. I was also his number one “weeder,” and as such I heard these homespun homilies repeated many times: Take care of nature and nature will take care of you. Having patience is one of nature’s biggest lessons. Nature reminds us that we are not alone in the universe. Whether it is the delicate blossom of a flower or a hurricane-force wind that flattens us—it is the continuing serenade of God.
I believe that when we can slow down and allow ourselves to be in harmony with nature, we will find inner peace. A tomato that is now the size of a tennis ball did it for me: O small green orb that calmed my spirit and mind – you take no notice of sun, wind, rain or me – yet you renewed my desire to slow down and just be.
______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
As the weeks went by I watered and fed the tomato plants and said loving words to them. When the plants grew upwards of four feet tall, I remembered that in the past I had grown only Tiny Tim cherry tomatoes in containers. I don’t know what possessed me to buy the Early Girl brand, which is a medium-size tomato. It was too late now, as blossoms began to present themselves in profusion on all the plants.
One day as I watered one of the pots my eye was drawn to a tiny grape-size tomato. I was in awe and then in absolute delight. I realized I had been too busy for too long to spend any time up close and personal with nature. The joy I felt at the sight of this tiny tomato was indescribable.
In the days and weeks that followed, I began to recall earlier memories, such as the time as a young child when we were visiting my paternal grandmother in the Missouri Ozarks. She asked me to help select vegetables from her large garden for a family dinner. She suggested that I pick the tomatoes, and the event as well as the scent of the tomato vines has remained etched in my memory.
I also remembered the intense pleasure my late husband experienced in his gardening. Although he was a sophisticated and successful executive, his pride and joy in life was expressed in being a master gardener. One summer, we returned from a trip to China near midnight and he raced to the garden, yelling out as he ran “Put on a pot of water to boil.” I did. He returned a few minutes later, face flushed, a huge grin on his face and his arms overflowing with ears of corn and red-ripe Early Girl tomatoes; his favorite variety.
We sat at the kitchen table sharing our feast and glorying in the joy of cooperating with nature. I still smile when I remember his response to anyone who gave God full credit for the annual bounty from his garden. He would ask with impish [and child-like] delight, “Did you see that barren land when God had it all by himself?”
I often wondered how my husband maintained his inner calm in the stress and strain of corporate life; now I understand. It was by connecting with nature that he was able to soothe his nerves and realign with the tranquil rhythm of Life.
He was a born teacher and I a willing student. I was also his number one “weeder,” and as such I heard these homespun homilies repeated many times: Take care of nature and nature will take care of you. Having patience is one of nature’s biggest lessons. Nature reminds us that we are not alone in the universe. Whether it is the delicate blossom of a flower or a hurricane-force wind that flattens us—it is the continuing serenade of God.
I believe that when we can slow down and allow ourselves to be in harmony with nature, we will find inner peace. A tomato that is now the size of a tennis ball did it for me: O small green orb that calmed my spirit and mind – you take no notice of sun, wind, rain or me – yet you renewed my desire to slow down and just be.
______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, June 11, 2007
Kindergarten Commencement Carries Hope for the Future
I had no idea when I showed up for my grandson’s kindergarten commencement that it would be such an insightful and emotional experience.
As the formal recorded music announced their entrance, the proud teachers led their classes into the cafeteria. The children looked like deer caught in the headlights as they made their first “red carpet” entry as the day’s celebrities. When they recognized loved ones in the sea of faces, the glazed looks were replaced with a smile, and either shy or exuberant waves.
I felt a familiar surge of joy and relief when I saw Michael’s face light up as we made eye contact. I was reminded of many similar school events and the times I searched for the faces of my little ones who were venturing into this much larger world. The umbilical cord was being stretched. In the emotion of this event, and the reality of today’s world, I wasn’t sure whether it was the adults or the children who were most in need of reassurance.
When the full group was assembled on stage, a mass of parents with cameras moved to the center aisle to record the milestone moment. It was surely the children’s first brush with paparazzi-like activity, but through it all they and the photographers remained well behaved.
Naturally the performers were brilliant and wonderful. Class members recited the Six Pillars of Character they were learning to embrace—caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness. They sang an energetic rendition of the alphabet song with arm movements that threatened to unseat the handmade mortar boards that were balanced on their heads.
The final song was about a rainbow of children, and there on stage sat a veritable United Nations of cultures and races. The words were beautiful and moving. At the conclusion of the song, the children in each row put their arms around each other. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place.
As we began filing back to the rear of the cafeteria for juice and cookies, parents and grandparents greeted each other with handshakes, pats on the back and a look that said we were no longer strangers, we were extended family with a shared dream for our children.
Two of my three offspring attended this same school. Today’s ceremony marked not only the sixth grandchild to follow in their footsteps, but the youngest and therefore the last grandchild to go through this rite of passage. I found myself greatly moved by this realization and by the event itself.
In the years since I had attended such a ceremony, I noticed several obvious changes. There was a greater emphasis on the acceptance and tolerance of others, as well as assuring that the children stayed in school. The principal implored the audience several times to promise that they would continue to support these children as they went on through high school and college.
I believe these children and millions of others like them across America are not only our legacy, they are our hope for the future. With an education, they will have the tools to pursue the American Dream. In learning to live the lessons of acceptance and tolerance, they can help heal our country by appreciating, celebrating and honoring similarities rather than focusing on differences. Go Michael!
______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
As the formal recorded music announced their entrance, the proud teachers led their classes into the cafeteria. The children looked like deer caught in the headlights as they made their first “red carpet” entry as the day’s celebrities. When they recognized loved ones in the sea of faces, the glazed looks were replaced with a smile, and either shy or exuberant waves.
I felt a familiar surge of joy and relief when I saw Michael’s face light up as we made eye contact. I was reminded of many similar school events and the times I searched for the faces of my little ones who were venturing into this much larger world. The umbilical cord was being stretched. In the emotion of this event, and the reality of today’s world, I wasn’t sure whether it was the adults or the children who were most in need of reassurance.
When the full group was assembled on stage, a mass of parents with cameras moved to the center aisle to record the milestone moment. It was surely the children’s first brush with paparazzi-like activity, but through it all they and the photographers remained well behaved.
Naturally the performers were brilliant and wonderful. Class members recited the Six Pillars of Character they were learning to embrace—caring, citizenship, fairness, respect, responsibility and trustworthiness. They sang an energetic rendition of the alphabet song with arm movements that threatened to unseat the handmade mortar boards that were balanced on their heads.
The final song was about a rainbow of children, and there on stage sat a veritable United Nations of cultures and races. The words were beautiful and moving. At the conclusion of the song, the children in each row put their arms around each other. I don’t think there was a dry eye in the place.
As we began filing back to the rear of the cafeteria for juice and cookies, parents and grandparents greeted each other with handshakes, pats on the back and a look that said we were no longer strangers, we were extended family with a shared dream for our children.
Two of my three offspring attended this same school. Today’s ceremony marked not only the sixth grandchild to follow in their footsteps, but the youngest and therefore the last grandchild to go through this rite of passage. I found myself greatly moved by this realization and by the event itself.
In the years since I had attended such a ceremony, I noticed several obvious changes. There was a greater emphasis on the acceptance and tolerance of others, as well as assuring that the children stayed in school. The principal implored the audience several times to promise that they would continue to support these children as they went on through high school and college.
I believe these children and millions of others like them across America are not only our legacy, they are our hope for the future. With an education, they will have the tools to pursue the American Dream. In learning to live the lessons of acceptance and tolerance, they can help heal our country by appreciating, celebrating and honoring similarities rather than focusing on differences. Go Michael!
______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, June 4, 2007
I'd Like to Buy the World a Home and Furnish it With Love ...
I recently overheard someone state that “marriage is just the barter system institutionalized.” His facial expression said that he wasn’t happy about it, but was resigned to it. I was surprised at how strongly his comment registered within me. It was all I could do not to stop and involve myself in the conversation and find out more.
Now I know that when such a seemingly casual remark remains in my mind there’s always a reason. I soon realized my connection with his statement. I had been in a life relationship that was based on the barter system. It was so long ago that I had almost forgotten about it.
My relationship at that time was all about ego love, which is based on bartering and trading in order to get what one wants. It is totally conditional and rests on the illusion that there isn’t enough love to go around, and the amount we receive is determined by the stipulation “I will love you if _____.” The blank can be filled in with a wide variety of choices such as: if you believe the way I do; if you do what I want you to do; if you agree with me; if you look the way I want or if you stay the same.
That form of love is actually a very narrow and false perception of love. It is based on the fear of separation from someone or some thing. In order to maintain this kind of love, it is necessary to have power over the other person or situation.
Once we connect with the Love within ourselves, we realize it resides in us and not in someone or something else. It makes our heart sing and changes us forever. It is then that no matter what life brings to us we are able to do more than survive, we thrive. It is the remedy that frees us from the original illusion of separation that lies at the core of every life problem. This illusion is that we are separate from the eternal and sublime energy that is within us and everything in the universe and that is called by many names, including God. All other fears simply build on this.
I know. I wrote about the journey I took to find this sanctuary of love, peace, wisdom and joy that every heart and soul yearns for in my book “The Heart Knows the Way.”
Healthy, unconditional love is freeing, open and inclusive. It is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. It can transform us by canceling out anger, bigotry, fear, greed, hatred, jealousy and the illusion of separation. This love embraces everyone in a way that could bring happiness and peace to the world.
This is love that fills you completely and is so expansive that you cannot contain it—you have to share it. When we touch even lightly this wellspring of love within us, it inspires us to live our highest and best truth. This truth is the polar opposite of love based on possession and fear. It really does make us want to buy the world a home and furnish it with love … to grow apple trees and honeybees and snow-white turtle doves.
_______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Now I know that when such a seemingly casual remark remains in my mind there’s always a reason. I soon realized my connection with his statement. I had been in a life relationship that was based on the barter system. It was so long ago that I had almost forgotten about it.
My relationship at that time was all about ego love, which is based on bartering and trading in order to get what one wants. It is totally conditional and rests on the illusion that there isn’t enough love to go around, and the amount we receive is determined by the stipulation “I will love you if _____.” The blank can be filled in with a wide variety of choices such as: if you believe the way I do; if you do what I want you to do; if you agree with me; if you look the way I want or if you stay the same.
That form of love is actually a very narrow and false perception of love. It is based on the fear of separation from someone or some thing. In order to maintain this kind of love, it is necessary to have power over the other person or situation.
Once we connect with the Love within ourselves, we realize it resides in us and not in someone or something else. It makes our heart sing and changes us forever. It is then that no matter what life brings to us we are able to do more than survive, we thrive. It is the remedy that frees us from the original illusion of separation that lies at the core of every life problem. This illusion is that we are separate from the eternal and sublime energy that is within us and everything in the universe and that is called by many names, including God. All other fears simply build on this.
I know. I wrote about the journey I took to find this sanctuary of love, peace, wisdom and joy that every heart and soul yearns for in my book “The Heart Knows the Way.”
Healthy, unconditional love is freeing, open and inclusive. It is one of the most powerful forces in the universe. It can transform us by canceling out anger, bigotry, fear, greed, hatred, jealousy and the illusion of separation. This love embraces everyone in a way that could bring happiness and peace to the world.
This is love that fills you completely and is so expansive that you cannot contain it—you have to share it. When we touch even lightly this wellspring of love within us, it inspires us to live our highest and best truth. This truth is the polar opposite of love based on possession and fear. It really does make us want to buy the world a home and furnish it with love … to grow apple trees and honeybees and snow-white turtle doves.
_______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, May 28, 2007
We Hold the Key to Healing the World ... Why Not Use It!
Our problems [and the problems of the world] are serious and every educated American knows them because they have been repeated ad-nauseum by every politician, op-ed columnist and commentator on the scene. But what is missing from these descriptions are insights into the Truth—the underlying causes and possible solutions.
I believe you can place all the current critical problems facing our country and the world in a big lump, and if you are willing to dig deep enough you will find the defining thread that ties them all together.
Whether it’s nuclear proliferation, the environment, the competition for dwindling natural resources, the corruption and misuse of political power, religious and racial intolerance, genocide, economic disparity, the all-pervasive lack of spirituality and morality, border issues, or the wide-spread escalation of drugs and violence—fear is the underlying factor.
At the core of every single challenge that faces humanity is a basic fear, and all other fears just build upon that like a house of cards. We are fearful of anyone that is different in speech, looks or action. We are afraid of life and death and everything in between. We are afraid of who we are, so we spend our lives locked within a façade so that we won’t be rejected by others who are doing the same thing.
We live our lives totally unaware and fearful of the incredible life force that is within us and everything in the universe, and focus instead on the external, which is sated with the unfulfilling and crazy-making reality of a fear-based society.
Until we can individually face our own fears and take that journey within to know ourselves, we will never have the understanding to accept others, no matter the differences. Until we can have dominion over ourselves we will continue, individually and as countries, seeking to control others so that we have “enough” of whatever it is we need to make us feel secure—money, power, love, prestige, possessions.
And, until we reconnect with the eternal and sublime spirit-energy that is within us and everything in the universe, we will continue to feel the illusion of separation which keeps us locked in fear.
This is the key, the answer, to all the problems in our lives, in our nation and the world. Once you open to this sanctuary of love, peace, wisdom and support that every heart yearns for, you will know you have discovered the greatest gift Life has to offer. You will become the consciously aware spiritual human being you were born to be. You will no longer desire or need to have power over others. You will honor yourself, all life, and the Earth. You will be open to living from a higher conscious awareness. Your very presence will help to raise the energy level of others, and in the process help to heal the Earth and every human being.
This is the way Life was meant to work. This is why we are here on Earth. Our true destiny is to become fully aware of our inherent spirituality, to learn how to become co-creators with this incredible spirit-energy and to aid in the conscious evolution of ourselves and the Earth.
In this time of global crisis, there is great opportunity, and the solution lies within each of us. If we can move beyond our own fear, we can birth a new cultural paradigm on Earth and help usher in a time of peace, plenty, cooperation and success for all.
_______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
I believe you can place all the current critical problems facing our country and the world in a big lump, and if you are willing to dig deep enough you will find the defining thread that ties them all together.
Whether it’s nuclear proliferation, the environment, the competition for dwindling natural resources, the corruption and misuse of political power, religious and racial intolerance, genocide, economic disparity, the all-pervasive lack of spirituality and morality, border issues, or the wide-spread escalation of drugs and violence—fear is the underlying factor.
At the core of every single challenge that faces humanity is a basic fear, and all other fears just build upon that like a house of cards. We are fearful of anyone that is different in speech, looks or action. We are afraid of life and death and everything in between. We are afraid of who we are, so we spend our lives locked within a façade so that we won’t be rejected by others who are doing the same thing.
We live our lives totally unaware and fearful of the incredible life force that is within us and everything in the universe, and focus instead on the external, which is sated with the unfulfilling and crazy-making reality of a fear-based society.
Until we can individually face our own fears and take that journey within to know ourselves, we will never have the understanding to accept others, no matter the differences. Until we can have dominion over ourselves we will continue, individually and as countries, seeking to control others so that we have “enough” of whatever it is we need to make us feel secure—money, power, love, prestige, possessions.
And, until we reconnect with the eternal and sublime spirit-energy that is within us and everything in the universe, we will continue to feel the illusion of separation which keeps us locked in fear.
This is the key, the answer, to all the problems in our lives, in our nation and the world. Once you open to this sanctuary of love, peace, wisdom and support that every heart yearns for, you will know you have discovered the greatest gift Life has to offer. You will become the consciously aware spiritual human being you were born to be. You will no longer desire or need to have power over others. You will honor yourself, all life, and the Earth. You will be open to living from a higher conscious awareness. Your very presence will help to raise the energy level of others, and in the process help to heal the Earth and every human being.
This is the way Life was meant to work. This is why we are here on Earth. Our true destiny is to become fully aware of our inherent spirituality, to learn how to become co-creators with this incredible spirit-energy and to aid in the conscious evolution of ourselves and the Earth.
In this time of global crisis, there is great opportunity, and the solution lies within each of us. If we can move beyond our own fear, we can birth a new cultural paradigm on Earth and help usher in a time of peace, plenty, cooperation and success for all.
_______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, May 21, 2007
The Clash Between the Cross and the Crescent: How Religion Divides Us
In the book A History of God—the 4000-Year Quest of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, author Karen Armstrong explains that as soon as man and woman “became recognizably human,” they sought ways in which to understand their presence on earth and the mysteries that surrounded them: They began creating and worshipping gods.
When the early ideas of god did not work for those who developed them, the concepts were grafted onto other ideas or “unceremoniously dropped” and other new ideas adopted.
This caused me to think about whether we are on the cusp right now of another episodic need for new ideas about God. There is an already violent struggle between two powerful evangelical groups, Christianity and Islam. These two religious factions are locked in an all-too-familiar historical battle seeking to be the One True Religion of humanity.
Being a practical person, I wondered just what kind of new ideas could possibly emerge to improve the situation. The ideas of fear, anger and hatred that fuel intolerance do not work for me. I’m also fairly certain that these ideas are not working for a number of others, including the many that have already been annihilated because of these ideas—or are yet to be.
Those less than desirable ideas are diametrically opposed to the love, order, harmony and balance that should and could be embraced, modeled and lived to uplift humanity. Like many others, I have known for a long time that religion, despite its positive aspects, divides us.
It is spirituality, not religion, which holds the key to the world’s problems. Yet, therein lies the rub, as Shakespeare would say.
Because of the many eons of conflicting religious ideas, we have forgotten that we are inherently spiritual beings. We removed spirituality from the earth and our bodies. We came up with all sorts of beliefs and rituals to remove us from our daily experience thinking this would make us spiritual. Then we made the spiritual so unworldly and unreal that it was totally out of reach. We seek to rise above our ordinary human lives and opt for something we believe is better that is beyond this life. So far we have distanced ourselves from nature and each other, and adopted so many unnatural ideas that we have chosen separateness and lost touch with our innate spirituality.
I offer the following: The eternal and sublime energy-life-love-intelligence that is within us and everything in the universe is timeless and changeless. Yet as humanity evolves to higher levels of consciousness, our perception of this energy-intelligence expands.
What we think we know about this energy-intelligence is based on what the conscious awareness of humanity was in the past. The mystery is still wide open. It is not static or closed. In the past, people felt frightened and out-of-control in the face of this uncertainty.
It is time to accept that humanity is evolving and as such must be open to new ideas of God, Life and the Cosmos. The rush backward to embrace fundamentalism is a knee-jerk reaction to fear. This course is fraught with danger and denies the ongoing flow of life. We can heal our fear by choosing joy and gratitude for the gift of life and the miracle of being the only life form, thus far, that has the awareness to contemplate this experience.
We need all the truly spiritual beings there are to help us understand the mysteries of life, to protect the planet and our desire to continue living and evolving as conscious, aware human beings. We are meant to embrace being fully human, and in the process once again experience our oneness, our connectedness with each other, the Earth and everything that is.
Finally, I don’t believe there is anything “better” than Life. There is only a continuation of life in the next dimension. Our inner selves know Truth, how to live fully and in harmony with each other, the Earth and God, no matter by what name it is called.
Religion that is closed and static denies and limits our understanding of this incredible life force. Spirituality is the solution. We need to remember to open to this inner knowing.
___________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
When the early ideas of god did not work for those who developed them, the concepts were grafted onto other ideas or “unceremoniously dropped” and other new ideas adopted.
This caused me to think about whether we are on the cusp right now of another episodic need for new ideas about God. There is an already violent struggle between two powerful evangelical groups, Christianity and Islam. These two religious factions are locked in an all-too-familiar historical battle seeking to be the One True Religion of humanity.
Being a practical person, I wondered just what kind of new ideas could possibly emerge to improve the situation. The ideas of fear, anger and hatred that fuel intolerance do not work for me. I’m also fairly certain that these ideas are not working for a number of others, including the many that have already been annihilated because of these ideas—or are yet to be.
Those less than desirable ideas are diametrically opposed to the love, order, harmony and balance that should and could be embraced, modeled and lived to uplift humanity. Like many others, I have known for a long time that religion, despite its positive aspects, divides us.
It is spirituality, not religion, which holds the key to the world’s problems. Yet, therein lies the rub, as Shakespeare would say.
Because of the many eons of conflicting religious ideas, we have forgotten that we are inherently spiritual beings. We removed spirituality from the earth and our bodies. We came up with all sorts of beliefs and rituals to remove us from our daily experience thinking this would make us spiritual. Then we made the spiritual so unworldly and unreal that it was totally out of reach. We seek to rise above our ordinary human lives and opt for something we believe is better that is beyond this life. So far we have distanced ourselves from nature and each other, and adopted so many unnatural ideas that we have chosen separateness and lost touch with our innate spirituality.
I offer the following: The eternal and sublime energy-life-love-intelligence that is within us and everything in the universe is timeless and changeless. Yet as humanity evolves to higher levels of consciousness, our perception of this energy-intelligence expands.
What we think we know about this energy-intelligence is based on what the conscious awareness of humanity was in the past. The mystery is still wide open. It is not static or closed. In the past, people felt frightened and out-of-control in the face of this uncertainty.
It is time to accept that humanity is evolving and as such must be open to new ideas of God, Life and the Cosmos. The rush backward to embrace fundamentalism is a knee-jerk reaction to fear. This course is fraught with danger and denies the ongoing flow of life. We can heal our fear by choosing joy and gratitude for the gift of life and the miracle of being the only life form, thus far, that has the awareness to contemplate this experience.
We need all the truly spiritual beings there are to help us understand the mysteries of life, to protect the planet and our desire to continue living and evolving as conscious, aware human beings. We are meant to embrace being fully human, and in the process once again experience our oneness, our connectedness with each other, the Earth and everything that is.
Finally, I don’t believe there is anything “better” than Life. There is only a continuation of life in the next dimension. Our inner selves know Truth, how to live fully and in harmony with each other, the Earth and God, no matter by what name it is called.
Religion that is closed and static denies and limits our understanding of this incredible life force. Spirituality is the solution. We need to remember to open to this inner knowing.
___________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, May 14, 2007
An Up-Close and Personal Connection with the Iraq War
I was a child at the onset of World War II, yet I remember many of the sacrifices that families in America had to make to support the war effort. We also had family members involved, and I recall being acutely aware of the war and connected on a mental, emotional and physical level.
Despite any feelings I have had about being for or against this war in Iraq, I was never touched by this conflict at a personal level—until recently.
A friend in St. Louis that I have known since first grade, and have had a letter-writing correspondence with for half a century, wrote and asked permission to give her grandson, James, my name and telephone number. She said he was in the U.S. Air Force, and was on temporary duty at a base near my home. Naturally I agreed, thinking it was highly improbable he would ever contact me. I was wrong.
A week ago he called and wanted to meet me. I was delighted. After several conversations we firmed up plans to meet at a restaurant. At that time, he also asked for my e-mail address, which he subsequently shared with his mother.
The next day I received a lengthy and caring e-mail from his mother, the daughter of my childhood friend, which included an attachment of family photos. We had never met.
As the days passed, I began to feel the unspoken yet palpable emotional expectations of this family, so far removed from their loved one. My focus changed from this being a courtesy gesture to one of much greater import. On my way to meet James, I prayed that our coming together would be everything he and his family needed.
James proved to be a delightful young man that any family would be proud to call their own. He was extremely bright, charming, well-mannered, filled with joy and enthusiasm for life, and passionate about the wonderful training he was receiving in the military. He was also So Very Young.
On leaving the restaurant he took out his cell phone and dialed a number, then handed it to me. He had made a prior arrangement with his grandmother that he would call her. We had a good time exchanging mutual admiration comments about James. His wife, Marie, also called while we were together to tell him goodnight, and say hello to me.
Then James suggested we sit in his truck as he wanted to show me some photos. He proceeded to scroll through almost 200 cell phone photos of his daily duties and his buddies. His current assignment was at a shooting range where jets and helicopters practice shooting live ammunition and bombs into old airplanes, tanks and other vehicles. It was his unit’s job to find and de-fuse or explode any "live" munitions and to clear the resultant debris—a hazardous and yet necessary duty.
After more than three hours together, and being sensitive to his long drive back to the base, I realized it was time to go. As we embraced, I realized I was hugging him for his parents, his grandparents and all his family members, as well as for myself and anyone who has ever had loved ones away from home serving our country.
On the drive home, I felt humbled and grateful to be part of such a precious human love chain. I knew the ripple effect would touch everyone who was living vicariously through our meeting.
The minute I got in the house, I e-mailed his mother with full details of our time together. The next morning I received her e-mail response, in which she said it had been a year since she had seen James. I was moved to tears. She thanked me, and wished me Happy Mother’s Day.
_____________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Despite any feelings I have had about being for or against this war in Iraq, I was never touched by this conflict at a personal level—until recently.
A friend in St. Louis that I have known since first grade, and have had a letter-writing correspondence with for half a century, wrote and asked permission to give her grandson, James, my name and telephone number. She said he was in the U.S. Air Force, and was on temporary duty at a base near my home. Naturally I agreed, thinking it was highly improbable he would ever contact me. I was wrong.
A week ago he called and wanted to meet me. I was delighted. After several conversations we firmed up plans to meet at a restaurant. At that time, he also asked for my e-mail address, which he subsequently shared with his mother.
The next day I received a lengthy and caring e-mail from his mother, the daughter of my childhood friend, which included an attachment of family photos. We had never met.
As the days passed, I began to feel the unspoken yet palpable emotional expectations of this family, so far removed from their loved one. My focus changed from this being a courtesy gesture to one of much greater import. On my way to meet James, I prayed that our coming together would be everything he and his family needed.
James proved to be a delightful young man that any family would be proud to call their own. He was extremely bright, charming, well-mannered, filled with joy and enthusiasm for life, and passionate about the wonderful training he was receiving in the military. He was also So Very Young.
On leaving the restaurant he took out his cell phone and dialed a number, then handed it to me. He had made a prior arrangement with his grandmother that he would call her. We had a good time exchanging mutual admiration comments about James. His wife, Marie, also called while we were together to tell him goodnight, and say hello to me.
Then James suggested we sit in his truck as he wanted to show me some photos. He proceeded to scroll through almost 200 cell phone photos of his daily duties and his buddies. His current assignment was at a shooting range where jets and helicopters practice shooting live ammunition and bombs into old airplanes, tanks and other vehicles. It was his unit’s job to find and de-fuse or explode any "live" munitions and to clear the resultant debris—a hazardous and yet necessary duty.
After more than three hours together, and being sensitive to his long drive back to the base, I realized it was time to go. As we embraced, I realized I was hugging him for his parents, his grandparents and all his family members, as well as for myself and anyone who has ever had loved ones away from home serving our country.
On the drive home, I felt humbled and grateful to be part of such a precious human love chain. I knew the ripple effect would touch everyone who was living vicariously through our meeting.
The minute I got in the house, I e-mailed his mother with full details of our time together. The next morning I received her e-mail response, in which she said it had been a year since she had seen James. I was moved to tears. She thanked me, and wished me Happy Mother’s Day.
_____________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available at Amazon.com and other online booksellers, as well as through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
Monday, May 7, 2007
Is Giving Really Better Than Receiving?
A friend recently brought up an interesting question about whether it is really better to give than to receive. My immediate reaction was that I knew the answer to that. As a child I had followed my parents’ guidance, often under duress, that giving is better than receiving. While the concept was now ingrained in me, I realized that I had never really thought it through.
My friend’s question and the discussion that followed were based on the fact that the Law of Attraction is at work in both giving and receiving. The Law of Attraction means that like attracts like; you plant a carrot seed you get a carrot, or you send out positive thoughts and they are returned to you.
She explained that while most people think of giving as involving material things like money or food, the Law of Attraction is linked with the thought and emotion behind the words or action.
I immediately wondered how this concept would apply to what I recently experienced with a friend. I heard he was in the hospital having quadruple bypass surgery, would be unable to work for months and thus was facing an extreme life situation. I was also told by a friend that he lacked adequate insurance, would never be able to return to his former job, and needed help paying the rent.
Naturally, I didn’t hesitate. I sent a check. I saw a need and answered it in an appropriate way, right? Well, not totally, according to my friend. She said I focused on the sadness I felt for my friend and the lack he was experiencing. This prompted my action of sending money. The thought I was sending to my friend was that he wasn’t capable of taking care of himself. Evidently I was perpetuating his lack by the underlying feelings and thoughts I held at the time.
She said the ideal course of action would have been to get clear on my thoughts and feelings, and to focus on holding positive thoughts for this person’s health and prosperity. Once the positive thoughts were firmly established, then and only then should I offer the individual whatever I was inspired to give or to do.
Also, in the process of holding positive thoughts for health and abundance for the other person, I would be attracting the same energy vibration back into my life. I realized it could not be otherwise, as like attracts like.
Giving and receiving really is a reciprocal activity. It is up to us to decide to give with conscious awareness so that the results are desirable for the recipient and the giver.
This adds a wonderful new dimension to giving, as it confirms what every child has always known—that receiving is as good and desirable as giving.
_______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
My friend’s question and the discussion that followed were based on the fact that the Law of Attraction is at work in both giving and receiving. The Law of Attraction means that like attracts like; you plant a carrot seed you get a carrot, or you send out positive thoughts and they are returned to you.
She explained that while most people think of giving as involving material things like money or food, the Law of Attraction is linked with the thought and emotion behind the words or action.
I immediately wondered how this concept would apply to what I recently experienced with a friend. I heard he was in the hospital having quadruple bypass surgery, would be unable to work for months and thus was facing an extreme life situation. I was also told by a friend that he lacked adequate insurance, would never be able to return to his former job, and needed help paying the rent.
Naturally, I didn’t hesitate. I sent a check. I saw a need and answered it in an appropriate way, right? Well, not totally, according to my friend. She said I focused on the sadness I felt for my friend and the lack he was experiencing. This prompted my action of sending money. The thought I was sending to my friend was that he wasn’t capable of taking care of himself. Evidently I was perpetuating his lack by the underlying feelings and thoughts I held at the time.
She said the ideal course of action would have been to get clear on my thoughts and feelings, and to focus on holding positive thoughts for this person’s health and prosperity. Once the positive thoughts were firmly established, then and only then should I offer the individual whatever I was inspired to give or to do.
Also, in the process of holding positive thoughts for health and abundance for the other person, I would be attracting the same energy vibration back into my life. I realized it could not be otherwise, as like attracts like.
Giving and receiving really is a reciprocal activity. It is up to us to decide to give with conscious awareness so that the results are desirable for the recipient and the giver.
This adds a wonderful new dimension to giving, as it confirms what every child has always known—that receiving is as good and desirable as giving.
_______________________________
Copyright 2007 by Fern Stewart Welch
The author’s book THE HEART KNOWS THE WAY—How to Follow Your Heart to a Conscious Connection with the Divine Spirit Within is available from Amazon.com, other online booksellers, and through major bookstores such as Barnes & Noble and Borders.
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