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Is this the life we build or is it the other one?

Wisteria vine in parking lot of abandoned business
Wisteria vine in parking lot of abandoned business

 

Close up of Wisteria vine flowers
Close up of Wisteria vine flowers

 

giant bumble bee drinking Wisteria nectar
Been awhile since I closely watched a giant bumble bee

 

Is this the life we build or is it the other one?

The life of fitting in?

The life of standing out?

Both are scary.

One built on perfection, the other on contribution.

We die knowing one intimately.

And if we overcome fear and doubt, two.

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Is doing amazing work amazing grace in disguise?

Blooming Wisteria in North Carolina
Bloom where you are planted

 

Is doing amazing work amazing grace in disguise?

Not a trick question.

The path to peace departs from a deep sense of contribution.

Not deep contribution per se, but the complete satisfaction that we tried unfailingly.

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Wisteria vines in full bloom in Shelby, North Carolina yesterday, filling the air with their heavenly scent.

 

Lorie Sheffer Guest blogger: Forgiveness Step 8 – Be shown the way

Grandson and Grandma kissing
Lorie Sheffer & Grandson Carter at the end of a conversation and the beginning of forgiveness (photo: Gary Sheffer)

 

Step 8 on the path to learning forgiveness is to allow someone close to you, someone who is easily forgivable, to show you the way.  Pay attention to how easy it is to forgive them, and how little stress you feel about being able to let go, move on, and not allow that moment of anger to spoil the day.

Next, try it with someone who grates on your nerves a bit more. It may be more challenging, but the rewards are worth the effort. Anger doesn’t feel good. Bottled up resentment is hazardous to your happiness.

When you get to the point of being able to let go of the negative feelings toward that slightly irritating person, you will then have the practice necessary to move on to more serious hurts and betrayals. You don’t have to learn to like someone in order to forgive him or her. It’s probably not going to be easy, but with what you have learned so far in the previous steps, it will be doable. It may take time and considerable effort, but don’t give up on yourself! I say “don’t give up on YOURSELF”, because you are the one who will, in the end, benefit the most, both mentally and physically.

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