Individuality

 

 

"Don't dream it. Be it." 

                                                                                -from The Rocky Horror Picture Show 

 

Inspiration can come from anywhere. The essence of the film The Rocky Horror Picture Show was that you shouldn't let societal norms hinder you from being your true self. Yes, the film was about what some sectors of the populace might judge as unacceptable, but then, that was the point. 

When you let yourself be limited by what others think, you are essentially subjugating yourself to the whims of a group of people who have no concern for your well-being and emotional stability, only for how you fit into their own notions of how life should be.

There is absolutely nothing wrong with standing out in the crowd. With going against the grain. With standing up for your own individuality. You don't have to be a Christopher Columbus, or a Galileo, or a Rosa Parks. You can just be who you are in your own community. Just don't let peer pressure force you to just fit in and not make waves. If you do that, you are a hero in my book, despite what your friends, family or neighbors might think.

May your spiritual journey be fruitful. 

 

Renewal

This project has been idle for several months. Life gets in the way. As does procrastination, a bad habit of mine. Let's see if I can begin to get back on the path of inspiration. 

 

"The sun is a daily reminder that we too can rise from the darkness, that we too can shine our own light." 

                                                                                                                                                           -S. Ajna 

 

There is a profound effect in the process of reviewing and re-evaluating one's outlook on life.  As they remind me in my recovery program, "you can always restart your day."  

One of the troubles that I, and probably even you, face on occasion is having some event in daily life that goes against the plans that you set out at the beginning. I can still remember days back when I was a working man where the whole day started out just fine. But then I made a decision to get out of bed...

There is a classic proverb / prayer I remember from my past:

"Dear Lord, so far I've done all right.

I haven't gossiped, haven't lost my temper, haven't been greedy, grumpy, nasty, selfish or overindulgent.

I'm really glad about that.

But, in a few minutes, I'm going to get out of bed.

And from then on, I'm going to need a lot more help."

One of the things I've learned in the last 17 years, since I have started down a path of renewal that has been helped along by my recovery program, is that "you can restart your day any time you feel like it". 

So you woke up, burned your toast while making breakfast, went out and found out that the battery on your car was dead, making you late for work, which ended up with you being called into the boss' office and reprimanded. Your attitude towards the day and the people you have encountered has gradually sunk to a level where you are sniping at someone who got to the water fountain just before you did and is taking a few seconds longer to get a drink than you deem necessary.

At this point I find it helpful to just step back and recite a prayer that is always at hand if I just take pause:

"God, grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, 

courage to change the things I can 

and wisdom to know the difference."

While I won't try to say that results are immediate, I do find that it is helpful in creating a better attitude and focusing on the good things. Sometimes I even manage to completely forget why I got in such a bad mood in the first place.

May your journey be fruitful.

Quiggy