Doing my best

For what moment, what circumstance, has my life not prepared me to do my best?

My mother's favorite saying

"We are always in just the right place to learn what we need to learn."

When in doubt

When in doubt,
breathe in,
breathe out.

Being a person of substance

Being a person of substance is a matter of choice, not of money.

November 3, 2013

What more profound expression of spirituality is there than the constant cultivation of gratitude?

What surer path to happiness is there than the constant cultivation of gratitude?

The equation of an ultimate expression of spirituality and a sure path to happiness is perfectly elegant.

Yet there is more.

In human affairs, when one is deeply grateful to another person, it is natural to ask, “What can I do for you?”  Or we might say, “Let me know if I can ever return the favor.” 

Let us do the same in matters of the spirit.  By asking the Power – however named – to which we are grateful, “What can I do for you?” we demonstrate our gratitude.  By listening for the answer to that question and acting accordingly, we serve that Power; we become agents of grace; and we enlarge and nourish the garden of gratitude.

October 6, 2013

When I value immediate comfort, I avoid discomfort.

When I value long-term comfort, I accept present discomfort as the price of future comfort.

When I value growth, I welcome discomfort for what it reveals about my beliefs and goals.

When I value service, I welcome discomfort as the price of a life of fulfillment.

When I value love, discomfort does not matter.

Perfect moments

Sometimes even saying a prayer is like saying, in a moment of profound intimacy, "Excuse me. I have to make a phone call."