Are You Afraid Of Electric Lighting?

Written By Don Shetterly

I'm seeing so many conspiracy theories these days that it almost makes my head explode.  This person is afraid of this device.  Another person is scared of another device.  Other people are fearful of gadgets and things too numerous to mention.

Everyone has their own set of facts, beliefs, and opinions to back their conclusions up and prove they have the truth.  I've seen it so many times.  Quite frankly, I'm getting so tired of seeing it everywhere I turn.

These days in our society, it doesn't have to be proven, it just needs an "element" of truth in what is being stated.  In our news, we sprinkle in a few facts along with the opinions of guests on these shows and act as if we invented the best news source in the world.

Let's start with modern day devices.  Lately, I have been seeing how microwaves spy on you and how Alexa is spying on you.  Does anyone know if these things are right?  Most likely not, but it doesn't stop them from forcing the world to hear their beliefs that this is true.

Alexa has been in the news supposedly spying on everyone.  Maybe it is true, and perhaps it is not.  I have no way to know.  If she wants to listen in on our conversations, she is going to get very bored.  They can't hardly keep up with programming her with answers, so I doubt they have time and capital to fund the massive workforce that would be required to monitor everything.

I have seen so many people treat the Alexa device as if it is some evil person coming after them.  I shake my head because these people act like any technological advancement is a bad thing.  Be wary they say.  Run, they say.  Hide, they exclaim.

For me, I'm one that believes in invention and progress.  Actually, I think we are running far behind where we should be.  There should be more advancement and growth, not less.  Will there be mistakes and hiccups along the way?  You betcha!

It all reminds me of the story I heard about Thomas Edison when he was inventing the electric light bulb.  In his wintertime hometown, he wanted to build an electric light grid so the town would be lit up.  He offered to pay for it out of his own pocket, but the townspeople said NO!  They were afraid of the electric lights.  The lights were new.  They feared them as if they were the worst things invented.

Today, we can't imagine a city or a home or a street without lights.  We don't run from electric lights in fear.  We don't pass around conspiracy theories about electric lights.  These are welcomed advances now in our lives.

We may want to think how we view progress and innovation.  If we don't keep advancing, others will.  If we stay stagnant in what we know, we've doomed the human race.  Part of being human is growth.  Part of the mind body connection is about awareness and growth.

Let's not be afraid of electric lighting, but instead embrace that which makes us fearful.  Don't follow blindly, but don't be scared to step out the door because someone has convinced you that it might be too frightening (metaphorically speaking).

Let's embrace our mind and our body.  Let's be more than we are today.  We will not get there by hiding our heads in the sand.  We won't discover and become more aware and conscious if we're against stepping out into the unknown.

Even in the light of all that has happened with data collection, we need to be cautious, but not over the top.  Each one of us should be careful of the things that we share online because any time you type the words on the screen, you no longer have control over them.

The Choice Is Up To You

One of the things that I learned a long time ago was just how much I could either impact my life in a good way or continue to go down the path that basically got me nowhere!  The choice was up to me in how I lived my life, how I let go of things in my life, and what I allowed myself to see.

There are far too many operating on autopilot following the crowd of beliefs, opinion and ways of looking at their own health.  Original thought and discovery has for the most part exited the building.  Understanding that we make choices is like a foreign concept.

Yes, people give lip service to these things and then they follow it with a "but" this won't work for me.  Many want to claim they are all knowing and are doing the most they can do, BUT they include the reasons and excuses that it won't work for them.

We are all entitled to our reasons and/or excuses of what works in our life and what doesn't.  I'm not suggesting that whatever reasons we have are invalid or inappropriate.  They may actually have a good basis for existence.  Unfortunately, the reasons become more who we are, rather than who we truly are.

I proved them wrong...

If I would have listened to the doctors years ago, I would have never recovered from Conversion Disorder, walked again and held a job again.  The doctors were reacting from my situation at that point and drawing upon their medical knowledge in the moment, but I proved them wrong.  I was not about to stay down in life.

There have been many times throughout my healing that I felt like I would never make it.  The odds were too great and the struggles were too difficult.  If I would have made the choice to just feel like I couldn't go on or find another way, I would not have made it this far.  I could have done that, but it was a choice that I had to make.

Some might tell me, "you don't understand" or "you're special" or you are different than everyone else.  I've heard many of those reasons of why I made it and others could not.  Yet, I was in those same shoes, doubting and wondering if I could make it.

Believe beyond myself...

It required me to believe beyond myself and keep moving forward even when I could not see what was lying ahead.  It required me to let go of all that I thought I knew and believed and felt was fact in my life, to see what else I was missing.  It required me to go in and not accept the condition I was in, so that I could find the way forward.

Is this easy to do?  No, it is not!  It takes a lot of determination and courage and strength.  It takes someone never giving up even when the odds are stacked against them.  It takes seeing outside of what you think you know to be true that is beyond the blinders we all wear.

The choice is up to you in what you do with life.  Sure, some of us are going to stay where we are no matter what.  That is our choice.  Some of us will try to go into healing and find how difficult it is and stop for an extended rest.  Some of us will shed the shackles were bound with and through determination not stop until we find greater peace in our life.

In my view, healing from atrocities sucks!  I wish no one had to go through anything, but to this day, the only way I've found to conquer it is by healing through it.  I've learned that I have to muster up all the strength I can and fight through it as I discover things I never knew existed.

What we do with our mind and body is our choice.  Just don't let that choice define your entire existence.  Go beyond it and see what is possible - what is healthy - what is freedom and peace.  Go into the darkness of the unknown so you can find the light of all that there is.

---

Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

---

The More We Hide

Often, we as human are pretty good at this.

We hide from reality.  We hide from truth.

We hide from truly knowing ourselves.

We will claim we don't.  We will claim we are enlightened.

We will claim all kinds of opinions and beliefs as if they are the truth.

Being human is about knowing ourselves more and more each day.  It is not about hiding from what is deep within.  It is about traveling into those depths of that which we don't know and learning how to transform it into something we wish to know.

So often these days, we see people hide behind beliefs and opinions.

We see people hide behind reality that isn't real.

We see people claim to know, but yet they don't know.

If you really want to give yourself something awesome in life, give yourself the discovery of getting to know the innermost YOU!  For the more you know about yourself, the more you can truly function in life with all that is thrown your way.

The more we hide, the less we know. 

The less we hide, the more we know.

It is up to each one of us individually in what we do, but why hold yourself back?

What Is Truth?

These days it seems like the lines between fact and fiction have blurred.  Truth is almost in the eye of the beholder it seems.  From fake news on TV and social media to people claiming they have the truth, but it turns out is nothing more than opinion and belief.  Truth seems to be everywhere, but nowhere!

We proclaim truth every day on social media.  You see it in almost every post.  We proclaim truth on news media shows from the different newsmakers and pundits claiming they have the truth.  We see people fighting about their truth and paying little attention to anyone else.

Truth seems to be something that is known to the person holding that truth.  However, there is truth based upon scientific fact that has been proven with time.  There is truth as in what people perceive their beliefs to be.  Yet, we still don't all hold the same truth.

We hold the only truth...

We all have our truth that we hold dear and precious to our heart.  We will defend our truth to the end of the world most times.  We think we hold the only truth out there and others have not discovered what we know.  Okay, maybe not everyone - but there is a vast majority doing this these days.

Why not instead of looking at all things as the only truth, see if there is something you're missing.  Can you truly back up what you're saying, or is it just regurgitated truth?  Can you truly prove what you think is truth, or are there holes in it?

Does not come with blinders...

Truth can be your present truth as long as it does not come with blinders that keep you from seeing more.  Truth can be powerful, but it also can be limiting if you're not willing to see beyond what it is that you know.  We all claim we see beyond what we know, but the evidence in our country and on social media says otherwise.

What if for one moment, you looked at your truth as the point where you are currently at.  It is the launching point to discovering more, possibly even a greater and stronger truth than you know at this moment.  Let it be the guiding force to see further ahead, rather than the limiting cave you live in.

What is truth?  That's a question I pose to everyone reading this.  What is your truth?  What is your definition of truth?  I'm sure I don't have all the answers.  Let's start a discussion and do it respectfully.

---

Blog Post And Images (c) 2017 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

---

I'm Right and You're Wrong

In my view, I think we all do this.  To some degree, we all think I'm right and you're wrong.  I doubt there is a person on this planet that doesn't practice this every day or at least every week.  If there is, I would like to meet them.  I believe some are better at accepting others than some people, but let's not let anyone off the hook at this moment.

You see, its easy for us to think that this is something everyone else does.  The philosophy of I'm Right and You're Wrong is so prevalent in our society that no one even is aware they do this anymore.  Look no further than politics or religion or even most relationships.

I'm not going to sit here and tell you I don't do this, because I do.  It is something I really have to watch myself on because I can quickly look at others and think they are wrong.  I sometimes get a little too high and mighty for myself.  For me, I can chalk it up to the way I was raised.  If you didn't go to our church or think like my father, you were wrong.  It has taken me years of deprogramming to let go of that narrow minded thinking I was raised in.

What I've found in my own life is that if I view others as being wrong and I'm right, then I will enjoy a miserable experience each and every day.  There is no joy in that.  There is no love in that.  There is no feeling of being at one with another, because with that thinking you separate yourself from all others.

Say it with compassion and love...

Sure, maybe there is something you know that others have not realized yet, but if you use it to look down at them or beat them with a bully stick, than do you really have something good? What if instead of using your "enlightened thought" to slap the other person, you use it to help them understand what it is that you know.  Say it with compassion and say it with love!  You'll get much further.

There are some things that just don't matter in the grand scheme of life.   Sometimes, things are insignificant in the grand scheme of life and they just don't matter.  They might matter to you, but if you compare them to the thousand years of civilization in a great big universe, do they really measure up?  It is often better to pick and choose what is important, rather than trying to apply that to every moment of every day.

Even though we grow up with certain habits and procedures, it does not mean we have the only way to do stuff in life.  Often while we hold these teachings to be the right way, they are nothing more than what we were taught.  It is up to us as adults to begin learning what really matters, what really works in our life, and what we are going to care about in any given day.

I choose not care about some things...

On a TV show, I saw one character ask another their thoughts about some random subject.  His response was "I don't have an opinion."   Of course, the befuddled the person asking because they said, "you've got to have an opinion - its too important."  His response was, "I've only got so much ram and I can only care about so many things.  Some things I choose not to care about."  It was a good example.

Unfortunately we spend too much time in front of the screen watching our favorite news programs and allowing them to incite us to cement our beliefs for that moment.  We don't allow ourselves to think independently as we gulp down minute by minute news stories.  We see things in one way only and we watch the things that back up our views.  Often, we are not as enlightened and smart as we think we are.

 

You can either beat someone into submission to believe that you are right and they are wrong, or you can help lead them to discovery.  If you lead them to discovery, there is a good chance that both of you will learn something on the journey.

When we say I'm right and you're wrong, it is about attempting to control others so they see things our way.  The more others see things our way, the more safe and secure we feel.  It is not an enlightened moment of human interaction, but one of narrow mindedness and fear and control.

Challenge yourself - just don't take my word for it.  Challenge yourself to not see others as wrong.  We're just screaming at one another these days and the more we think we are right and everyone else is wrong, the more we're condemning this world to a lot of unnecessary pain and suffering and evil.

---

Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

---

Everyone Has An Opinion

I have them.  You have them.  We all have them.  In fact, everyone has an opinion about just almost everything these days.  If you don't, you might be the exception and that's okay!  In fact, it is completely fine for everyone to have an opinion.  It is part of what makes us each special and unique.

Unfortunately, those opinions, have gotten in the way of us truly being real and respectful with one another.  Instead of listening and honoring the life that we all share together on this planet, we seem more hell-bent on trying to make each other out to be some label or something that is anything but positive.

If you watch the news, you'll see this in full force.  If you read social media, you'll either have those who are respectful or those that just hurt others.  There is very little middle ground.  Its almost like a game that everyone plays and it is almost like this has become the norm.

Opinions aren't always a bad thing...

Go ahead and have your opinions.  There isn't anything wrong with that.  However, when it comes to not listening to one another and thinking that your opinion is the only right one out there, something is a little wrong.  It means were  not connected to our heart, but we are connected to our ego.  Our ego has to grandstand and be right.

Sometimes life can be very difficult and in this day and age with all the frightening events going on, don't let fear rule your opinions and be the bully.  Don't let fear cloud your judgment and close your heart to your fellow humans.  We need each other to make it through this journey called life.

If we stand opposed...

If we stand opposed all day long with one another, how will we ever join together for our common good?  How will we advance our civilization if we are constantly tearing each other down by the words we speak and the actions we take.

Opinions are fine as long as we temper them with compassion and understanding.  When we resort to calling each other names and screaming at one another, we're so far from the point of compassion and understanding.

Open up your heart and let that guide your opinions, rather than being ruled by fear and the ego.  You may find in the end that your opinion isn't as strong as you thought it was or that it wasn't as big of a deal as you once believed.

---

Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

---

Intolerance Is Not Love

I posted something yesterday on my twitter feed and within a short time, I lost well over 50 followers.  I lost count at some point because they were coming in so fast, I could not keep up.  It amazes me just how intolerant people are.

I realize gay marriage can be a volatile topic, but I try to be very respectful, warm, and compassionate in all that I write and share.  I don't try to force you to believe in what I do, but I don't shy away from putting out there in the world, that which impacts my life.  I try to stay open to all things, all thoughts, views, beliefs and actions.  Sometimes I may fall flat on my face doing this, but I try hard.

Many of the profiles that unfollowed were of "enlightened people" or at least that is what they claimed.  Some of the profiles claimed love and tolerance and being open.  Some gave the impression that they were the best people in the world.  It surprised me reading some of the profiles because either those are just words they wrote, or they don't understand what they wrote in the profile.

I step outside my comfort zone...

You will not see me back away from issues because they are too tough to deal with in our world.  I know that the only way I can learn and grow is if I step outside of my comfort zone.  Now, don't get me wrong in what I'm saying here.  There are plenty of things that I see which absolutely don't resonate with me and even if I step outside of my comfort zone, I don't bathe in them.

Welcoming thoughts and ideas and beliefs you don't agree with helps us understand one another and it helps us to grow.  It does not mean we have to agree or disagree with these things.  It does not mean we have to embrace them.  We can expose ourselves to them and then see how they apply to our own life.  It means that we can evaluate them and then decide what we want to do with these thoughts, ideas, beliefs, and opinions.  It can help us understand another individual from a new perspective.

It is not love...

To categorically reject something you see posted is shortsighted in my mind.  It is not what makes a thinker great.  It is not what makes a person truly human in my view.  It is not love.  It is intolerance.

I was saddened yesterday when this happened and I was grateful that a few encouraged me publicly and privately.  I try to be a very caring and respectful person, so when that many reject one little tweet I made, it really hurts.  I'm sensitive and I don't deal with rejection very well.  It was the absence of love and tolerance.

I want to challenge us to be more than we are.  I want to challenge us to include more people than we do.  I want to challenge us to listen more than we do and allow some other thought, idea, belief or opinion to look us straight in the eye.

As a civilization, I think we can be more than we are.  I think instead of intolerance being the new norm in life, we can rise to meet the possibilities of the future.  We can rise up with love.  If we walk hand in hand, we will be stronger, than if we cut the hands off of our fellow humans.

To those that unfollowed, I'm sorry that you decided to do this.  I hope you will reconsider and challenge yourself to greater heights.  I hope you will help me understand things that I don't understand or know at this moment.

---

Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

---

Actions Speak Louder

Growing up, I was in a home where there was no shortage of my father lecturing to you for hours.  He acted as if had all the right words and he didn't shy away from telling you what he thought or what you should do or how you should think.

I see the same with my brothers.  Maybe I do the same thing, I don't know but I would like to think that I don't.  If I fail, it isn't because I have not tried to do things differently.  Especially when it comes to religion and issues of the day, my older brother will flat out tell you how wrong you are and how religious he is and how he knows best.

Actions speak louder than words.  Our actions, say much more than we will ever say in words.  Our actions precede us in our communications with others.  So even though you think that your words are correct and right and for all to hear, often your actions speak louder.

We can see this in the politics of our day.  We can see it in the comments that get posted on social media and on websites.  We can see this in almost every aspect of our day.  If we don't see it, then most likely we are living under a rock because it is there.

I am amused and saddened at how much the masses and the leaders of the masses speak as if they know all.  Their actions don't back up their words and in fact, their actions often say the complete opposite of what they are trying to get you to believe.

Too many times, the actions and words do match up to an individual that is not as enlightened as they think they are.  Just because they speak loudly or they seem to have a following, it does not mean they know what they are talking about.  It does not mean everyone has to follow them blindly as they all march to the cliff.

Words are great but they need to be backed up by your action.  If you say you love everyone, but talk down about certain groups, then you may want to re-evaluate what it means to love everyone.  If you say you have the answers, but it is nothing more than your beliefs and opinions, you may want to re-evaluate what truth and answers are.

All too often, those that spout and spew words in a manner that they expect everyone to follow is nothing short of following a clanging symbol.  It might get your attention, but it is not a complete orchestration of music.

Its time that we learn to listen more with one another and to learn how to respect one another more.  There is far too much yelling and screaming and pontificating going on in this world and in this country.

We don't help each other by screaming at one another and telling each other how wrong we are.  We help each other by listening and respecting and loving one another.  Of course, its not merely words that we say which shows this, but our words backed up with action that aligns for everyone's greater good in this world.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blog Post And Images (c) 2016 by Don Shetterly

• Permission required before any part of this blog post is reprinted, reworded or used in any form. 
• You are welcomed to share the LINK to this blog post.  

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

031216

News Comments That Destroy Humanity

Today as I am writing this, I once again see a news report that brings shame upon the inhabitants of the world.  It isn't so much the story, as it is how we react to the news with our comments and opinions stated as facts.  It is how we disparage one another that is of greater value to me, than what our positions are based upon which side of the view point we fall upon.

We've all read the stories lately of the airplane crash, the George Zimmerman trial, and the supreme court rulings among others.  Unfortunately, if you go and begin reading the comments below these stories or follow the twitter feeds, you see just how much people online show their hatred and disrespect for one another anonymously.  It really is sad if you stop and think about it.

I'm sure we are all passionately concerned about things that happen around us and when we feel helpless, we tend to find a way in life to give ourselves some point of reference.  Often this comes out in how we react to these situations in what we say and do.  Most often, while these things may be a part of our current awareness, they are not always appropriate to display in an anonymous fashion online.

Remember back to the days when message boards first came out.  You had some control type personalities that tried to monitor every word that happened.  In addition, you had those that lurked in the shadows trying to stir up trouble.  Let's not forget about the ones that would see something posted and then react, because after all they weren't screaming or disrespecting another person - it was the screen or the computer or the internet site they were screaming to.  It wasn't perceived as a person, although in many aspects it was.

Talk From Your Heart

In these current times, we hear rhetoric that essentially adds nothing positive to anyone's day.  Yet, it doesn't stop us from letting it flow from our mouth.  It is rather sad that we are at a point in our culture, both in the media and in normal every day conversation that we feel we need to push our beliefs, rather than talk from the heart.  I know, many people would claim they don't do this, but then if they really opened their eyes and hearts, they would see that they do.

I always enjoy reading blog posts where the author writes about their own experiences and what brought them to the point of writing a particular blog post.  I feel like I can connect with what they say, in a way that they say it, just because they are speaking from their heart.  One such blog touched me deeply because this friend of mine shared something so private and intimate that I could connect with through his own words.  His blog post was titled, "Lost My Words".   He was talking from his heart and when he did that, it made the connection easy and instantaneous.

Smiles For Those Comments

Last week, I saw some comments come through to the blog. Most of the time, the comments are full of integrity, character and add value. Occasionally, there are some that just make you scratch your head and wonder about the person writing the comment.

While not everyone has to agree with me on every thing that I write, I do enjoy hearing how my blog posts touch other people. Like many that do comment, I appreciate the respectfulness of people when they are sharing their views and opinions. Often I am warmed by the words they share and what is shared becomes very special to me.

Last week, there was someone that read one of my blog posts and either it triggered something deep within them or they were just having a bad day. They made sure they stated to me that this was a pity blog. Of course, it was quite clear that the individual did not fully read the blog post or really check out the rest of the blog.

I try to write from my experiences and share what I have learned. Much of my subject matter comes from my own struggles through life as I try to open myself up to the world in hopes that someone else will find it helpful or challenge their own views. Often times by me writing what I do on this blog, I learn so much about myself and through what others share with me, that learning is compounded many times over.

The last thing I want this blog to be is a pity blog and hopefully it is not that! Yes, sharing the deep stories about my own journey could likely be seen that way, but only if the rest of the blog post is not read where the learning can be gleaned from the words.

I do realize that no matter how much we write or the way in which we write things, not everyone is going to accept what is said. There are times that I approach subjects on here that are volatile but my hope is that it will help bring about a positive direction in how all of us look at things. I think we can all learn so much from each other if we allow ourselves the opportunity.



-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blog Post & Images (c) 6/11/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

If any part of this post is used or shared, a link back to this site is required.
http://mindbodythoughts.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Commenting Online Without Thinking

I'm always amazed at just how people respond online. Back in the good ol days of administering message boards, I remember people would comment without thinking. Soon thereafter, a war on the message board would be started. Nowadays, it is not confined to message boards, but to all areas of the internet like news articles, news pundits and social networking sharing.

Lately, I've seen some stories appear on the headlines of the local news sites and it isn't but a matter of moments before people start posting horrible comments. Now, I know that not everyone agrees with each other or likes what the other stands for, but when a story of tragedy hits, is it really a good thing to make hurtful, mean and disrespectful comments?

The discourse in this world is sad, especially in the US! We see it on TV, we hear it from our politicians, the media pundits, and then from all the everyday citizens who comment on the news articles with their biased rants of opinion disguised as fact.

Even after the Oprah show, I remember having people send me some not so nice comments about the Male Survivor episode (Nov 2010 – Read Blog Post). Most people were generally supportive but a few really put the sour icing on the cake! Some of my own family were supportive but a few treated me as though I didn't exist because I exposed a family secret.

We all need to stop and think before we sit down and type some anonymous comment out on our computer screen. Even though we cannot see the person on the end and have no idea who they are, our vicious tongue does nothing to build up this country and this world. A well thought out response stated with respect could be a moment of change for many instead of another person adding gas to a forest fire! We may feel we are correct in our views and opinions but if we don’t learn to think and respect each other, there will be no one left to listen to what we say.


Further Reading:
1) Quiet Please, Just Listen
2) Needing To Be Right


-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Blog Post & Images (c) 6/06/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

If any part of this post is used or shared, a link back to this site is required.
http://mindbodythoughts.blogspot.com/
-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Clutter In Our Life, Part 8

Clutter #8 - Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 8 of 10

Time and time again, I observe people talking fast, forcefully and sometimes preaching what they think it is that they know. Anymore on TV, the news pundits do this and so it continues over into life.

Just take a moment and look at any internet site from facebook to message boards to news comments and see how far it spills over. When people spend the hours watching these news show personalities proclaim their opinions as truth, it alters reality.

However, you can even walk into any given church on a Sunday or into any new age spiritual circle and see the same thing take place. If most of us realized that what we are saying to others is as much (if not more) for ourselves than it is for others, we might actually help the entire world evolve.

So often, we spread our opinions as facts and we try to convince everyone that they are fact when in reality, it is nothing more than the illusion of opinion.

Come back tomorrow for part 9 of this series, Clutter In Our Life. Below are the various parts to this series that you can read as well.

Clutter In Our Life Series
- Introduction
Part 1: Spending our hours watching TV news
Part 2: Keeping Ourselves Constantly Busy
Part 3: Numbing Ourselves
Part 4: Following Blindly
Part 5: Food Choices
Part 6: Health care, Doctors, and Medicine
Part 7: Hydrating Our Bodies
Part 8: Thinking We Have The Answers
Part 9: Exercise Is For Another Day
Part 10: We Fail To Evolve
- The 30 Day Challenge


Blog Post & Images (c) 3/20/11 Don Shetterly - use by permission only
http://www.donshetterly.com

Love In Our Words

I see people write or say things where they claim to love, yet their words say the opposite. For instance, people love to say that they "accept" the person but not their behavior. You could easily substitute the word "love" for "accept" in this case. While this statement sounds innocuous and fine to many people, it does not truly denote love and acceptance. In fact, it can be very harmful, hurtful and full of hatred.

Love is a passionate, heart felt and personal attachment to something or in this case, a person. Love is about accepting others as they are, not as we think they should be. Love is about fully uniting with that person in a way that transcends everything about them. Pure love is not judgmental and it does not force others to comply with our views of life. It is about holding the space open for someone and accepting them completely and unequivocally with nothing held in reserve.

While many of us state that we do truly love others in a pure form of love, we often fall short. While we say that we completely accept others, we often do it with thoughts in the back of our mind saying, the other person needs to be this way or that way. It is easy to mouth the words in claiming that we love others in a pure way. However, it is much more difficult to really do as we say.

In many ways, to love someone is to accept the person. To accept the person is to love them. Yes, the two words can mean different things but in many respects they are saying the same thing. The true definition may differ but the actions are basically the same.

In my view, there is either love in this world or an absence of love. If I continue on with my previous thought, there is acceptance or there is not acceptance of others in this world. While I may be coming close to an all or nothing, dark versus light explanation, that is not my intent. If you have pure love, than there cannot be an absence of love. If you have pure acceptance of others, than you cannot half way accept others or accept others with conditions. It all depends upon the degree of love or acceptance you have.

The other day, a person said that he accepted the person (we can also use the word "love" in place of "accepted") but this same person did not accept their behavior. While they thought this was perfectly fine and they were not showing any hatred whatsoever, I would not agree with them. You can not accept someone fully or love them fully but then go on to say you do not agree and accept their behavior. The two statements are at odds with each other. Yes, you can say you don't accept their behavior, but then you truly don't love or accept the person.

It is a very subtle distinction but a very important one. For when we say we love or accept the person but not the behavior, we are putting ourselves in judgment over that person and are acting in a very condescending manner. If you are going to do this, at least be honest enough with yourself and do not try to convince others that you accept or love the same person.

Being honest with others and yourself will truly move us forward as a civilization. Hiding our truth from our self will only move us into the realm of unsubstantiated opinions that we try to hold out as facts. All too often, we misconstrue our opinions as facts in life. We will be much better people if we can truly be aware and honest with ourselves. Anything less not only hurts us individually but it hurts society as a whole.

Just to say that we do not have hatred for others through what we say, is not enough. Our words can be uplifting and bring us together or they can be hurtful and full of pain, driving us apart. As humans and as a society, we need to really understand the difference.

(Above image of the song, Hope For Haditha Children from the CD, Relaxing Spa Music by Don Shetterly- (c) 08/1/06)


*Read other articles on Mind Body Thoughts Blog