I grew up hearing the relatives a few generations back in the family tree talk about “our people,” meaning those of similar ethnicity, culture, and background. It rubbed me the wrong way. I couldn’t help but think as a small child, “Isn’t everyone our people?” The little ones know. They don’t see differences. They see the absolutely amazing and fascinating “buffet of life.”
My grandma was prejudiced much of her life because early on in her marriage people of a different ethnicity robbed and beat up my grandfather. He recovered, but her spirit held on to the pain of seeing the differences until, at the end of her life, her best friend in the nursing home was a dear lady of the very ethnicity that she had feared. Together they “snuck out” in their wheelchairs, traded ethnic foods, and took delight in their shared humanity. Both of their souls wanted the healing of learning to love the differences before they left the planet. It was a blessing to all involved.
While most of us wouldn’t dream of judging others anymore based on culture, gender, religious bias, or such superficialities, it is still easy to fall into judgment of those who think and act differently than we would ever dream of thinking and acting. I went on protest marches to the Capitol in high school and took sad pride in “besting” a senator who was speaking out of both sides of his mouth to a group of us teenagers at the time. I look back and realize that all I was doing was stroking my ego rather than working to see the others’ perspective as right… for them.
These days I don’t worry so much about what others are doing. It is none of my business unless someone comes to me for help. Instead I focus on what I’m creating. I pray for those in pain. I ask that those who espouse divisiveness be raised up into the light of love. I send love and light to those in dire circumstances and darkness, and do what I can, but I also allow myself my own choices, my own path, and my own joy. In this reality, although I may be affected by the world around me, God is my God, light guides my path, and my life is an act of conscious creation.
“Seek and ye shall find…” the angels remind me often. Here are some tips to seek – and find – more light, more goodness, more joy, and more inspiration in a world that doesn’t always offer such things as easily or visibly as we might hope.
1. When you see darkness look for light
As Australia continues to burn there are many heroic souls helping to save the animals they can reach. In the recent disasters, stories of super-human charity and kindness arise. Amidst the public exposures of untruths, greater truth arises.
In every sad and difficult situation there are those working hard to bring a greater light. Seek those stories. Share them. Look for, and bring attention to the light rising up and out of the darkness.
2. Pray to see the light arising in difficult individuals
When someone irritates you or makes choices so far removed from you own that you are clear they do not resonate with you, try to avoid judgment and pray instead to see how they are striving to find more light in their lives.
For example, angry souls are seeking greater self-love. Envious souls are trying to find their own power. Souls who lie and are out of integrity, don’t yet know they can live and be loved in their truth.
When someone acts unthinkably towards me, I pray with all my heart to see how their soul is striving to find a greater love. As I surrender into the belief that they truly are, then I am able to see, with compassion, the pain that drives them. In that reality, I can discern rather than judge. I can choose what belongs in my life with compassion, rather than needing anger and judgment to justify my boundaries.
God and the angels love such prayers and will always assist us in seeing the light attempting to arise in others… if we are truly open to seeing it.
3. Use Social Media as a Force of Light
I love photography. It forces me to look for beauty. I challenge myself to find something lovely to photograph even in the blandest situations. Then I share that beauty on social media.
If photography is not your thing, maybe inspirational quotes are. Read a line, or a page, a day and share something that inspired you. Seek out articles about people helping one another, helping animals, cleaning up the oceans, inventing earth friendly technologies, making breakthroughs in science. Allow yourself to be uplifted by these stories and share them.
Share the good that you are experiencing in your own life. Did you do something that uplifted you? Did you learn something new? Share it. We inspire ourselves and others when we share our joys.
Rather than using social media as a space to air grievances and saying, “How can they… !?” with righteousness and indignation, ask “How do you think they can…” as a tool for understanding. If you post something you disagree with, try saying something like, “I find this hard to understand. I don’t agree. But I am striving to see how the souls involved are attempting to grow… Any ideas?” or if that doesn’t feel like you, how about, “I don’t like this behavior or situation. I can’t agree with it. It angers me and makes me sad. Please help me pray for ….”
Promote discovery vs. division, and prayer vs. crucifixion. You can be a force of great light and still have your own sacred point of view. As the angels like to tell me often, “If you strive to share the good, you will first have to seek and see the good.”
We live in a world of incredible contrast. There are many situations and behaviors that appear unthinkably dark. Yet at the very same time, there is glorious and beautiful light emerging.
When people often tell me I don’t live in the “real world,” my first reply is to invite them into my world – a world where everyone is striving to grow into a greater awareness of their true nature, and a world in which there are billions of souls making both quiet and public contributions to our collective good on a daily basis.
Seek good. See good… Feel good 🙂
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