Do you ever experience moments where you felt true peace and joy? For me it's like a swirl of energy above my head, as if God is trying to download something....something very profound. Well....when you think about it, we are very similar to computers, with our outlets of mind, sight, hearing, feelings, that are constantly downloading information each day. Nowadays some of us crash, some of us start spinning like a computer being asked to multitask, with no capability, until we have no choice but to stop and wait until it slows down, gets it's little info bits lined up and in order so it can offer whatever it is we asked for. I think it's so interesting that we can demand and expect so much from a computer......and that despite our believing we could never live without one, we did in fact live without them not so long ago. Granted my computer offers me the ability to help others, connect with others, and hopefully come away with having done something that made a difference in the world...........I still believe the simplicity of life that was experienced when I was growing up is hardly available to anyone nowadays. Unless of course you search for that deeper meaning within yourself and find it. Oh it's still there.....just tucked away safely waiting to be pulled out and experienced. I suppose the problem is that we don't realize that we must choose simplicity. And of course when we do, then the moments of pure joy and peace come more often to our doorstep.
When I experience those passing moments of peace and joy, it's like catching a firefly.......oh ......wait....here it comes again......ok.....hangon.....hangon.....get the hands cupped and ready.....almost........gotcha! Then you watch it glow inside your hands for a few minutes, and then realize.....you must let it go. It was fun catching it, watching it glow, watching and wondering.....now how does he make that tail glow?.........but then you know if you don't let it go....it will die. So you open your hands and gently release it into the air and it flies away. Peace and joy are there.....you can experience anytime you like, but you have to stand still long enough to see that they are in fact there for the taking. You can't just sit around and wish that you would be lucky enough to experience it.....you just decide in your own mind what those things mean to you. What do they look like, feel like.......does something or someone bring with it peace and joy? Or, are you constantly in the expectation mode of thinking that someone owes you or you deserve them....thinking if you keep "trying" to find them....they will come. Oddly enough it's when you stop trying so hard and just allow them to land in your cupped hands.......so not such a hard task.
One thing I have learned most recently, is that peace and joy are gifts from God, freely available to me anytime I want them. Even if I think I don't deserve them, they are still available. I also realized that if I become a source for peace and joy for someone else in this world, then inturn it will come to me more often. We are such takers of this world and expect so much that it makes everything about us and want we want, need, get, or think we deserve, especially if we feel we've at some point been given the short end of the stick. So when we expect without giving, we are loosing our access to peace and joy, not understanding why it seems those around us have it......but we don't. Constantly asking ourselves, now I wonder why that person is so happy, content, and seems to be blessed and really enjoys their life, then most often again turning inward and feeling victimized or punished in some way.
We all want to be in control of our lives, pushing, expecting, demanding and constantly focused on the self. After all......everyone outside of us has fallen in place as far as what the world sees as normal. You are normal if you have this, wear that, and at least appear and act like anyone on television. I guess we don't realize whoever the man is inside the box at an given moment has control of our brains, and the download begins. I'm surprised there isn't a show called "If you want to be normal".....followed by a segment of downloading where all commercials that sell something that you don't need or can't afford are downloaded into your brain. Well who am I kidding......it goes on all day long.......doesn't need to be a specific show. Of course this is not about me bashing people who watch television, but again....there are choices to be made. This is another area of choice. You can choose to watch channels that are not trying to sell you something you don't need or can't afford but rather feed your mind and soul....give you something to think about other than spending money.
But I have gone astray with my thoughts about peace and joy.....but not too far. Maybe I should have titled this "Ten Ways to safely torch your computer and television". Well....maybe there can be some balance with those things, but seriously......wonder what would happen if you just took a half hour each day to get quiet and still and thought about how you could bring someone else in your life peace and joy? Just a half hour of not thinking about what you want, need or determined to get.......but to place those thoughts outward. As if you were more focused on catching the firefly for someone else to see instead of you catching it for yourself. At that moment you are opening the door to experience peace and joy.......and good grief.......who doesn't want to experience that? The trick is realizing that the world does not and never will revolve around you.....it was designed and set up by God for us to love......simply love.
So.....in keeping with my frequent challenges for the day.......I want to challenge you to stop and think outward when wondering where the peace and joy might be located this week. Repeat after me....it's not about me......it's not about me......it's not about me....and never was. There is no longer a need to TRY so hard to find them......they are floating around right in front of you......just stop and grab them.......you'll find they have a glow, will warm your heart, and you will want more than anything to release them so someone else can experience them as well. And just in case you're wondering........that is real love.
