February 24, 2011

A river of Love

Ok - Here we go. I have been working on setting up the blog as its own site - we're almost there, but not yet. So, in the meantime... I thought it best to keep going here (in light of the near 2-month absence....so sorry.) But, now I'm back. So, let's get inspired together!!

As I was driving today, I had a thought. (Big surprise, I know.) Basically, I've been told by countless teachers, gurus, friends, healers, etc. to "go with the flow." Life is so much harder if you try to go against the flow of your river. I've even written about it myself. It's true. When we allow life to happen, rather than fighting the current, life is much much easier. We are in the flow, and the Universe works with us. But here's the thought I had: what if we are in the wrong river? Ok, I know I'm bucking the trend by saying that, but really - let's think about it.

It's not necessarily the "wrong" river, because I accept that we're never out of our proper place to learn and be; but for just one moment, let's entertain the idea that we have free will and choice in this lifetime, as well as the power to stand up, step out of the river, and go find another one. One that's more suited to who we are and how we're meant to live. What if that's possible?

I think when I was driving I realized for myself that no matter how much I go with the flow, and allow myself to move with the current, I simply felt like it wasn't right. I felt like I was resigning myself to the waters around me, knowing that they were going too fast, or were too cold, or even too still. So, rather than lying back and floating downstream, I asked myself: "what if there is another river?" Could it be that simple? I mean, I've studied, practiced, learned, discussed.... I've read countless books and articles on happiness, inspiration and spirituality. I've practiced the mantra: "Let go and let God" until I couldn't say anything else. But there's a part of me that still questioned the flow. It still didn't "feel" right. Not for me. So, what if it's just the wrong river? I can't imagine that God wants us all to lie back and float with whatever current we're in, hoping and praying that He will simply take care of everything. I mean, I know He will if we ask and need Him to; but why would He give us free will, if He didn't also intend for us to use it, thereby working with Him?

I think there's an empowerment piece missing here. It's just my opinion, but what if it were possible for us to choose the river we are in? I'm not naive enough to think that there are rivers without rapids and eddies and rocks; but I do believe that we have the power to choose which river we want to be in. And I do believe that God (Spirit, the Universe, etc.) will help us no matter where we are, if we ask; however, I'm starting to also think that a little bit of empowerment, in the form of self-love, is what God intended for us to learn and share. What do I mean by that? Well, I've come to realize that one of the greatest gifts we can give someone else is to support, love and empower them to be who they are. So, if that's the greatest gift we can give someone else, it stands to reason that it's also the greatest gift we can give ourself.

To love, support and empower who we are ourselves needs two things: honesty and communication. It means looking in the mirror and actually being truthful about how we feel inside and comparing that with how we behave outside -- then communicating that in a loving and thoughtful way with ourself. Does this make sense to you? It recently hit me like a ton of bricks, though I have to admit I'm still sorting through a bit of the rubble as I piece it all back together. What I know is this:

The most important thing we can do, for ourselves and others, is to love ourselves, unconditionally. To truly do this, we need to accept ourselves, flaws and all, and make decisions based on who we are, not who others might want us to be. This acceptance comes from honesty and communication. It's the greatest gift we can teach our children: self-love. And from there, we can love others unconditionally. It becomes effortless. Why? Because when we are true to who we are, we end up being surrounded by people who support us and love us. There are no agendas, no games, just love, respect and support. Of course, in some relationships, usually the romantic ones, more issues come up than with just friendships, because it's a balancing act. But that doesn't mean that we have to lose ourselves. It means that because we love the other person, we're willing to learn, grow, and become more flexible, out of a desire to experience a deeper love. A love that carries with it a freedom, unknowable in any other way. And that, well - that is when we are living God's will for us: To live in Love. And the first step, the key that unlocks the door to all of this, is self-love.

So this brings me back to my original thought: If I'm in a river that doesn't "feel" right for me, and I've spent countless hours, days and weeks practicing 'letting go' only to find that I still don't feel good about where I am -- do I love myself enough to actually take a look at the river and make a change - or at the very least explore whether that possibility exists? What do you think?