RECOGNITION: THE STONES OF TIME AND CIRCUMSTANCES

As the end of the year is just a very few and short days away, and after the joy of Christmas celebration of God born unto us for our salvation, I want to share, concisely and precisely, the messages that dear friends shared with me, joined in prayer for one another and for the needed and confused of this world.

For this time and this time alone, let´s keep away the analysis and concerns. Let´s meditate over the contents of the messages, and pray.

THE STONES

They are the time and the circumstances, but it´s not the time or the circumstances what matters but us and our attitude towards them.

The distracted keeps on stumbling upon them, all the time.

The violent use them as projectiles to attack instead of contributing to the collective well being.

The entrepreneur builds with them.

The tired working ones use them to sit and relax before keeping on going.

They are toys and fun for the children.

David, with one killed Goliath and saved the day for his people.

And Michelangelo made the most beautiful sculpture out of it.

In all these cases the difference was not the stone itself but man´s attitude, will and decisions.

There are no “stones” on our path that can stop us or can´t be used for our betterment, growth and future…

ACCEPTANCE: FORGIVENESS! THE NEED FOR IT!

There is an overwhelming and omnipresent social malady nowadays. Intolerance, derived from an irrational self-conviction of possessing, in exclusivity, the truth and the not allowed to be challenged right to impose it over, despite any and all injustices or abuse committed by ourselves or our own influential people.

Consequently, forgiveness based on an adequate and rightful comprehension of what is really going on, disappears from the emotional map of conscience and behavior.

And hatred and violence sprout everywhere, breaking into un-piece able fragments all alternatives or opportunities for unselfish love and mutual support and understanding.

This is the subject of the following message. Let´s consider it, make it our own and meditate on it, hopefully leading ourselves to the necessary changes of beliefs, convictions and behavior!

FORGIVENESS

Forgiveness is an expression of love. Forgiveness liberates us breaking up the ties that embitters our soul and sickens our body.

It does not mean we agree with what happened, or that we approve it.

Forgiving does not mean minimizing what happened or accepting that the person who did hurt us had reasons to do it.

It simply means leaving behind those negative thoughts that caused us pain or anger.

Forgiveness is based upon the acceptance of what happened.

The lack of forgiveness keeps us tied to the people by way of resentment. It keeps us chained to it.

The lack of forgiveness is the deadliest poison for the spirit because it neutralizes our emotional resources.

Forgiving is proclaiming that we can do it and we must renew this decision every day that passes.

Very often we are the most important person we have to forgive because of the many things that weren´t as we thought they should be and anyway we did them.

The forgiving declaration is the key for our inner liberation.

How many people do we resent because of what they did to us? Who are those we believe we won´t be able to forgive?

Are we infallible and it is for this reason only that we can´t forgive other people´ mistakes or misdeeds?

Let´s forgive so we can be forgiven! Remember that we will be measured the same way we measure others and find them lacking!

UNDERSTANDING THE TRAIN OF LIFE: LIVING WHILE ON RIDING IT!

If we open ourselves to an inner introspective review of why and how we have lived, and why and how those who surround us react to our behavioral attitudes.

If we do so then we will understand what life really is, and what it means, even if we deliberately close our eyes to everything that could negatively affect our understanding and decisions on how to live it.

THE TRAIN OF LIFE

Life on the train: A while back, I read that life compares to a train ride or a series of train rides.

Life is like a train ride. We get on. We ride. We get off. We get back on and ride some more.

There are accidents and there are delays. At certain times there are surprises.


Some of these will translate into great moments of joy. Some will result in profound sorrow.

When we are born and we first board the train, we meet people whom we think will be with us for the entire journey. Those people are our parents!

Sadly, this is far from the truth. Our parents are with us for as long as we absolutely need them.

They too have journeys they must complete. We live on with the memories of their love, affection, friendship, guidance and their ever presence.

There are others who board the train and who eventually become very important to us, in turn.

These people are our brothers, sisters, friends and acquaintances, whom we learn to love, and cherish.

Some people consider their journey like a jaunty tour. They will just go merrily along.

Others will encounter many upsets, tears, losses on their journey. Others still, will linger on to offer a helping hand to anyone in need.

Some people on the train will leave an everlasting impression when they get off.

Some will get on and get off the train so quickly, they will scarcely leave a sign that they ever traveled along with us or ever crossed our path.

We will sometimes be upset that some passengers, whom we love, will choose to sit in another compartment and leave us to travel on their own.

Then again, there’s nothing that says we can’t seek them out anyway. Nevertheless, once sought out and found, we may not even be able to sit next to them because that seat will already be taken.

That’s okay… everyone’s journey will be filled with hopes, dreams, challenges, setbacks and goodbyes. We must strive to make the best of it… no matter what.

We must constantly strive to understand our travel companions and look for the best in everyone.

Remember that at any moment during our journey, any one of our travel companions can have a weak moment and be in need of our help.

We too may vacillate or hesitate, even trip… hopefully we can count on someone being there to be supportive and understanding.

The bigger mystery of our journey is that we don’t know when our last stop will come.

Neither do we know when our travel companions will make their last stop… not even those sitting in the seat next to us.

Personally, I know I’ll be sad to make my final stop… I’m sure of it!

My separation from all those friends and acquaintances I made during the train ride will be painful. Leaving all those I’m close to will be a sad thing.

But then again, I’m certain that one day I’ll get to the main station only to meet up with everyone else.

They’ll all be carrying their baggage… most of which they didn’t have when they first got on the train.

I’ll be glad to see them again. I’ll also be glad to have contributed to their baggage… and to have enriched their lives, just as much as they have contributed to my baggage and enriched my life.

We’re all on this train ride together. Above all, we should all try to strive to make the ride as pleasant and memorable as we can, right up until we each make the final stop and leave the train for the last time.

For all of you, NOW you are part of my train, so I am wishing you a NICE JOURNEY!

Calatorie placuta! (Romanian).
Bon Voyage! (French).

HOPE: PERHAPS LOVE IS THE ANSWER?

Love has, probably, been the most referred to, misunderstood or manipulated word in the world. From the most romantic and utopian descriptions up to the grossest, wickedest and perverted interpretations, we inevitable see ourselves forced back to consider it as perhaps the answer, the path and the solution of the human conflicts.

Only then we will find the logic and the assuredness that it is unavoidably necessary to see life through its essence, content, possibilities and application to the real opportunities for a positive life, sharing, communication and progress.

PERHAPS LOVE!

Perhaps love is a resting place. A shelter from the storm! It exist to give you comfort. It is there to keep you warm!

And in those times of trouble when you are most alone, the memory of love will bring you home.

Perhaps love is like a window. Perhaps an open door! It invites you to come closer. It wants to show you more. And even if you lose yourself and don´t know what to do, the memory of love will see you through.

Oh, love to some is like a cloud. To some as strong as steel! For some a way of living! For some a way to feel!

And some say love is holding on. And some say letting go. And some say love is everything.And some say I don´t know.

Perhaps love is like the ocean. Full of conflict, full of pain!

Like a fire when is cold outside. Thunder when it rains!

If I should live forever, and all my dreams come true, my memories of love will be of you.

And I will add MYSELF…

And life as it came! As well as life as it went!

THE OUTCOME: NOT JUST A POSSIBLE ONE, BUT A REAL AND DESERVING BEAUTIFUL LIFE

Living beautifully, constructively and consequentially is not a utopia. It is a very feasible alternative for every human being. But we must understand, correctly, what the essence, and the purpose of such a beautiful life is.

A BEAUTIFUL LIFE!

The only life that will endure is one that's good and pure and kind!

Each day I'll do a golden deed by helping those who are in need.

My life on earth is but a span. And so I'll do the best I can.

Life's evening sun is sinking low. A few more days and I must go to meet the deeds that I have done, where there will be no setting sun.

While going down life's weary road I'll strive to lift some traveler's load. I'll try to change the night to day. Make flowers bloom along the way!

Life's evening sun is sinking low. A few more days and I must go to meet the deeds that I have done, where there will be no setting sun.

ASSURANCE: MATURITY AND CHANGE FOR THE BETTER ARE SURELY POSSIBLE.

One friend of mine, well educated but pessimistic about the possibility for the Christians of being able to make the difference, and force a change for the better of the societal behavior, uses to argue with me, that this will never happen, while these groups remain closeted in their remnant, and blindful, belief that God is here for the sole purpose of keeping them safe and happy.

He believes that real trust in God, and faithful following of His leading and commands, should empower them in such a way that could force the necessary changes.

He argues, and I tend to agree with him, that the societal role of Christians should be standing firm, stating and being consequential with our inconformity and uncompromising allegiance to what is right, to what is just, to what is derived from the negation of the inevitability of having to give up to the selfish, even if alluring, temptations of the materialistic search for happiness in term of wealth, comfort and personal well being.

I want to insist with him that there is a way, there is a possibility, there is a path, there is a care and protection available, even if it could be consider as a naïve interpretation of what Christians should believe, do and react to, when challenged into spiritual maturity and consequential behavior.

I want to share again the content of a very interesting message related to the Cherokee Indian adolescents coming into adulthood ritual that the following message refers to in such a sensitive and moving way.

THE CHEROKEE INDIANS RITUAL

When a Cherokee Indian boy starts his adolescence, his father takes him to the forest, blindfolded. And leaves him there in the darkness!

He has to sit all night on a trunk, blindfolded, until the sun rays come up, again, the following morning.

He cannot call for help! Because once he survives the night he has become a man! He cannot share his experience with the other boys because everyone of them has to face the challengeof entering manhood on their own!

Naturally the boy is terrified. He hears all types of noises. He feels that savage beasts are circling around. That howling wolves are nearing! And maybe humans out to hurt him!

He hears the winds blowing and squealing, and the grass unceasingly rustling while he sits on the trunk resisting the urge of taking off the blindfold.

He does not dare to do so because it is the only way to come out, as a man, from the ordeal.

Finally, after this terrifying night, the sun comes up and the boy lifts the blindfold… and then… is when he discovers that his father is sitting beside him!

His father has not left him. He has, silently, watched over him all night, seated on another trunk, to keep all dangers out.

Similarly we are never alone. Even if we cannot see Him in the midst of our life´s darknesses, He is always beside us, seated on the trunk of His mercy, silently watching over!

When injustices and adversities seem unbearable and unsurmountable, we must trust Him, and wait for tomorrow´s morning!

A new sunrise will surely come. And we will see Him face to face in the splendor of His glory!

If you believe, hope, endure, and wait for a better future, share this message. If you do not so, maybe it is because you lifted your blindfold up before sunrise and looked to the other side and did not see Him.

INCLUSIVENESS! TOGETHERNESS! A WAY TO GO!

As the final one, in the series of end of the year desires for the best for all, I include what the optimistic message from NavidadDeDeseos.com that I have translated and made comments on.

I have stated that intolerance and exclusiveness, promoted by the influential and controlling forces and individuals of this world, impede the taking conscience of the real causes, ways and methods, that keep us chained to unnecessary unbearable circumstances.

I have to state, too, that, consequently, is necessary to accept as unavoidable, the taking up, as ours, the challenging need to make the difference, firstly one at a time, and then, all together, in a real inclusive, and mutually sharing, and supporting way.

I do not know if they are Christians or believers, or belong to any denominational or any type of creed and doctrine. It is enough and sufficient to be people of good faith, sincere, outstanding and firm in what they say and do. Inclusiveness and togetherness is the way to go.

We cannot avoid the passing of time. 2010 is knocking at our doors and will enter our lives and homes, no matter what.

LOVE AND SHARING! IN ALL THEIR FACETS AND THEIR CONTENTS! My message to my friends at the end of this year!

The persistence and preponderance of Love! Love in living! With no hurry! With no fear! Transcending time and circumstances! Overcoming time and circumstances! Extending itself beyond time and circumstances!

I have been lately engulfed in the consideration and analysis of the oftentimes dizzying, confusing, usually illogical and biased, social and political upheavals that overwhelm the media and the people of our increasingly violent nation’s populations.

Then, Christmas time arrived and sort of imposed a halt, and a “taking a breath” of relief, to my mind and my spirit. By no means has this meant the forgetting about the causes and effects of our individual, communal and institutional pride, egotism, greed and insensitivity before the plight of the lesser favored or abused.

But it made me ponder over the transcendental statements of Ephesians 6:12 that clarify for all who care to see, the fact that we are no fighting against the blood and flesh people, but against the spiritual forces of this wickedness in the heavenly places.

Because the fight is that of the personalities and rulers , the powers and the world forces of this darkness of the higher levels of the artificially conceived social financial and political concepts versus the unavoidable and rightful positioning of mankind in relation to God, Nature and one another.

A beautiful Christmas card presentation, with a deeply felt message did arrive to my laptop to compound the need to stop, ponder, analyze and pay attention to the real concepts that should lead us to the rightful way of living until the final rest and glory comes and engulf us, raising us up to the place of eternal living.

I started to ponder again about the fundamental tenets of Faith, and Hope, and Love. Love remaining after faith and hope fade in the folding pages of our earthly passage through life down here.

Repeating what I wrote at the beginning, what is fundamental is the persistence and preponderance of Love! Love in living! With no hurry! With no fear! Transcending time and circumstances! Overcoming time and circumstances! Extending itself beyond time and circumstances!

I had to recognize, as I have pondered about in other comments that follow in this series of postings, that mankind is unredeemable and unrepentant when left to its own will and the greed and ambition of its earthly leaders separated from their Creator and Savior.

But it was also comforting to see Faith, Hope and Love in action through the vision, the resolve and the deeds of so many dedicated people that have transcended their time and circumstances.

In the realm of the Christians love expressed in the ministries oriented to the help and support of the dispossessed and abused, there is a continual growth and renovation.

I have been blessed and privileged, having had the opportunity to serve with some of them, or being a friend of others like the one I dedicate this end of the year message, and in him, to all the others that I respect and encourage to keep alive the freshness of their vision and their actions to transcend the years, as this “Fresh Air Fund” has done for more than already a century.

You do not have to be complex and complicated when you stand on firm grounds of beliefs and resolve. I hope to see all of them, a hundred years from now, being able to summarize what a man of faith, hope, love and resolve started in 1877.

The Fresh Air Fund History: In 1877, the Reverend Willard Parsons, minister of a small rural parish in Sherman, Pennsylvania, asked members of his congregation to provide country vacations as volunteer host families for children from New York City tenements. This was the beginning of The Fresh Air Fund tradition.

By 1884, Reverend Parsons was writing about the Fund for New York´s Herald Tribune, and the number of children served grew. In 2008, close to 10,000 New York City children experienced the joys of summertime in Friendly Towns and at five Fund camps in upstate New York.

Check http://freshairfund-newsrelease.com

I truly hope this example multiply itself in all our countries through the efforts of dedicated and unselfish Christians. To them, in the words of the following Christmas message, my encouragement and the assertion that Love, in its purest expression of unselfish sharing what we have and others need, will overcome the maladies, the injustices and the abuses of this confused and violent world.

The best of all should be that ministries were short-lived because by alleviating the sad consequences, the unjust causes that inspired them were erased by the positive changes in societies.

Unfortunately this is still and for times to come will still be just a dream, and ministries will have to multiply themselves, with my hope and prayer that their vision and expansion are not impaired or stagnated by human circumstances and weaknesses, that could impede their existence through the years and the centuries.

Because life has not to be like it is nowadays. Life is beautiful as Nature is beautiful. Life is challenging but should not be oppressive and destructive. And human beings, especially those in the higher social, political or financial positions should think it twice before destroying, by corruption or rejection, the people under their sphere of influence and power.

WHAT LIFE IS! OR AT LEAST HOW IT SHOULD BE!

There is a fairly common saying that goes like this. Mankind becomes deaf and blind when it comes to listen and pay attention to what point to the selfishness, pride and greed of the human being. It is like preaching in the desert, and even the sand becoming dust storms out to swallow the preacher.

I would love to be always optimistic and positive as my wife usually is, expecting always the resurgence of the goodness of man from the ashes of wrongness and misbehavior.

But the incessant pounding of all the social molders by all types of influencing means, ways, actors and factors that invoke precisely our passive acceptance of the right to live by way or our indifference, leniency or despondency, requires that we raise our voice to point out what is wrong and deceptive.

But this in no way discredit or denies that life is beautiful, that life is challenging, that life is a process where the stamina and the conscience of man is tested so it can strengthen up their up righteousness and resolve to do what is fundamental to live as life should be lived.

This has been a perennial quest and exhortation by men of all ages and generations. In all types of assertions and exhortations, and through all ways and means of communication as in the following message!

Life is a challenge. Confront it!

Life is an unending letting go.

Only with empty hands you will grab something new!

Life is Love! Live it, intensely and whole!

Life is Hope. Keep it always alive!

Life is a road. Keep on walking!

Life is creation. Never stop creating something better and new!
Life is also death. Dying a bit every day. Be always aware of this!

Life is learning. Always! Everywhere! Until the end!

Life is a gift. Be grateful for it!
Life is friendships. Care for them and protect them!

Life is beautiful! Keep your eyes wide open!

Life is truth! Never betray it!

Life is exciting. Keep yourself open!

Life has goals. Reach them!

And hope, always, for the best for yourself as well as for all the others!

But mankind it seems that has always preferred to live immersed in struggles, contradictions, overpowering and contention.

THE STRUGGLE TODAY AND FOREVER

One day the stone said…

I am the strongest!
Listening this, the iron said:

I am stronger than you.

Do you want to see it?
Then both fought until the stone

was reduced to dust and pieces.

The iron then said: I am strong!
Listening this, the fire said:

I am stronger than you!

Do you want to see it?
Then, both fought

until the iron melted down.

The fire said, when it won:

I am stronger!
Listening, the water rumbled: wait a moment!

I am stronger than you.
Do you want to see it?
Then both fought until the fire

fizzled out and turned to ashes.

The water then said: did you see?

I was stronger!
But the clouds exclaimed: No!

We are stronger than you!
Then they fought until the water evaporated.

The clouds exhulting said:

surely, we are strong!
Listening this, the wind said, wait!

I am stronger!
Then, they fought until the wind

chased the clouds away
and got them out of the horizon.

The wind victoriously said: did you see?

I was the stronger!
Listening this the mountains said:

watch out, we are stronger!
Then they fought

and the wind

ended up

caged within the mountains.

The mountains bragged:

we won because we are the strongest!
And then, man intervened saying,

oh no, do you want to see it?
And with intelligence and skills

perforated the mountains,
and let the wind go free,

ending thus

with the power of the mountains.

The man said:

I am the strongest creature alive,

until death came around

and with just an stroke

erased man from the picture.

Death was still exhulting

until GOD, “become man”,
After just 3 days

raised himself from the tomb,
Conquering death

and being given all power in heaven
On earth and above all Creation.

Despite this and since then

an unending struggle has been going on.
Not wanting to understand

that real freedom is
And can only be given by God,

not by men.
And is only lost

if individually given away

because it cannot
Be taken away

or imposed by others, to their liking.

The struggle being the inflicted pain,

the abuse and the fight

of men against men

and men against Nature!
Men always trying to usurp

by all means

the Place,

the Authority

and the Power of God

over Mankind

and the whole Creation!

The “setting of” of logical priorities and ways out of this universal mess and wrongly provoked chaos will be the subject of the next blog postings.

We will keep on pounding over the inner motivations of the myriad of arrogant, haughty, bold and violent uncontrolled little human gods so rampantly acting on the international scenarios.

We will also keep on trying to analyze the why and how of the proliferation of the international court of jesters and peddlers of favors, notoriety and their fleeting moments of fame, who crowd the waves of the television and internet media.

But AGAIN, WE MUST PONDER over the transcendental statements of Ephesians 6:12 that clarify for all who care to see, the fact that we are no fighting against the blood and flesh people, but against the spiritual forces of this wickedness in the heavenly places.

Because the fight is that of the personalities and rulers , the powers and the world forces of this darkness of the higher levels of the artificially conceived social financial and political concepts versus the unavoidable and rightful positioning of mankind in relation to God, Nature and one another.

Because there is an undeniable fact. No one, and this goes for all those fond of name calling, name branding, name attributing. No one side is exempt from responsibilities. Nor the capitalists, or the newly arrived to the top revolutionaries. Nor the conservative, or the liberals. Nor the bankers and financial speculators, or the grasping lenders without analysis.

Everyone of us must stop, think, meditate, pray, and change. But change for the better. Let´s remember and do not forget we all are just passing through the pages of life and Nature.