Dear Spritiual Companions,

I may be a slow learner, but I recently discovered much in life is nonsense.  As I broke the word down further I saw it as non sense.  There are things in life that seem to make more sense than others.  The key to living life fully, for me, is to spent my life doing those things that make sense to me.  What do you think?  Well if you agree than all we need to do is define what makes sense for us.  What I see as valuable to me may not be what you see and that is perfectly legitimate.  What doesn’t seem to make sense is everyone agreeing on everything and thereby thinking and acting alike.  It seems to me we live in a time of conformity.  Like a teenager who has to dress like one’s peers or thought to be odd, we are told we need to think the same or act the same to be in step with the times.  NON SENSE!  The paradox about this is found in the creative folk, the ones who think differently than others, the ones who are the most helpful for religion, society, psychology and spirituality,etc.  They are celebrated for their gifts, but they drive those with the answers in their chosen fields crazy.  In fact, if given a chance the powers to be will try to do away with them as quickly as possible.  So if we choose to trust our own inner heart beat be ready for the possibility of being misunderstood and attacked, but that is alright because it is only nonsense.  I think it makes more sense to live by that which gives us the greatest joy, no matter what another may think or say about us.

I believe a lot of pressure is removed from our lives when we are able to define what makes sense for us and what doesn’t.  The basic gift is we now live life in awareness of it and not judgment of whether it is good or bad.  To become aware is for me the first step in our spiritual journey.  To use another religion’s perspective it is to be mindful of what is occurring in the present moment.  We are now conscious of our own lives and the only time we become aware of another’s words or actions is if what they are doing affects us.  As we become mindful of someone Else’s action we become aware.  We are not caught in the trap of having to make a judgment about that person and what they are saying and doing, but rather we are now mindful of what is good for us.  We act accordingly with when it seems to make sense to disengage or ignore their actions if it affecting us in a nonsensical manner.  The beauty of this understanding is now we have found a way to let go of past hurts from long ago.  There is no SENSE in hanging onto the past when it is gone.  Often times the only reason we do is because we don’t think we have any other choices.  Again I say NONSENSE!  We always have a choice.  No matter what one does to us we have a choice of how we can healthfully handle it.  The only way someone can get into our heads is if we invite them in.  Talk about good sense that is it.

I have had a lot of hurtful experiences in my life.  Things were done to me or said about me that didn’t make any sense.  I was often the biggest critic of my actions.  When I wasn’t perfect, which of course is the human condition, I would berate myself.  Early in my life I would cry out against those who hurt me and I would hold onto their actions against them.  As I matured I did less of that with myself and others and it took less time to let go of the hurt.  Now in the latter part of my life  I find so much of it nonsense.  It was simply life being life, me being me and people being people.  As I became more aware and mindful of this I have let go of most of it.  There are some residues that simply take more forgiveness work.  This too shall pass is now my motto.  When I imprison myself by thinking life should be other than what it is I find the door to inner peace wide open.  Walking out the door is making more and more sense all of the time.  Shall we hold hands and walk out together? 

Peace,

Gary