I just love it here:)

I can't tell you how I feel now that I get to meet friends of like mind.

 it is so refreshing, I can say things and now people understand what I mean and how I feel..

 Everyone here has so much to contribute and teach me.

 I learn something everyday, and it sooths the soul to come here and read what others have to say...

sooo cool!!!!!

A while back I was working and heard a big commotion in the back of the shop , it sounded like a bird had became caught, and it was making a real racket,,so I went over to see what was up, and I saw out the door a Blue-jay had gotten a hold of a baby bird and was pecking and eating it, and the parents of the bird tried to get the baby away from the Blue-jay but then had to get back, and the sight of those parents, a stunned look on their faces, total shock and disbelief, then the Blue jay took off and the parents jumped on the curb with that look still on their faces, they stayed for a moment longer, then took off....... If you know me at all, you know that I always look for a meaning behind what I saw, and after some days of deep thought, this is what I came up with, I thought I would share it with my close friends, So many people comment on how cruel people can be, and make such a big deal of it, and yes I agree that folk can be mean and cruel to each other and it seems so senseless.  But nature shows the same, weather it be a baby lamb being eaten by a wolf, a frog eating a fly, or a natural disaster.  So it is not necessarily evil, it is just life.  I am beginning to think that life is not the problem, it is our thinking that is the problem...  We were raised on Fairy tales, on the  " And they lived happily ever after " stories, and now we are bombarded with the Lottery fever, thinking if I could just win the lottery all my problems will disappear.  So we are always looking for that perfect, no worry, no pain life,  So while we are waiting for that heavenly, blissful life, life passes us by and we miss all the good that does come our way.  I heard of a book that speaks of 10 people, 5 of them won the Lotto, 5 of them became paralyzed, the amazing thing is that the ones that had became paralyzed after a couple of years felt that they had more to look forward to than those that had won the Lotto. Maybe the fact is that life is supposed to be a struggle, almost from day one. Maybe we are supposed to savor each morsel of beauty, love, joy and happiness that does come our way.  To realize there is no one on this earth that has everyday free of trouble in their lives.  Life is a cruel task master and no one escapes unscathed. I think that their are times heaven comes to us for moments at a time and it is those moments we should realize that we are blessed.  Recently I looked into heaven when I held my newborn grandson, I thought of all my healthy children and grandchildren and I was thankful.  We all have areas of our lives that we are blessed, but do we acknowledge and are we thankful for those areas? Jewel the singer has a song titled " Goodbye Alice in Wonderland"  She sings of leaving the fairy tales and seeing life for as it is.  I agree, that we would be better off if we see that stories for as they are, take off the rose colored glasses and see what life really is, and live with what we are given.  God has been good to each one of us, and if we really think of our lives we will see this. I am not speaking of a trouble free life, as trouble lurks around every corner and we don't know what the next moment will bring.  I think it would just help us all if we see life is not supposed to be easy, but give thanks for the good that does come to our lives, to cherish it with all we have, savor the good, appreciate the wonderful things God has given to us, we all have people around that dearly love us, wonderful friends we are truly blessed with and family that even in their faults we are blessed to have them in our lives. I am writing this to you because I feel you are a blessing in my life and I love you.  I hope you will never give up on God, Yourself, Life and Others, as when trouble comes it too will pass and God will send you a piece of heaven from time to time, so enjoy it when it does come...

I wrote this in another pod.

 But this really caused me to breath a deep sigh of relief, and real load off my back as there is really no reason to worry, sometime simple is really the best..

"

Wow Ari.

You said.

" I decided to step outside of all my religious paths and just be about love.

Now, my path is about love, kindness and service... I think I'm done with religion or icons"

That really hit me, and hit me hard...and I thank you so much for sharing that.

I came from a very strict dogmatic christian background and I too have tried to search for what I would call Truth in other paths as well, but I would always have questions in my mind.

 And it always seems that when I would follow a certain path, I would find offshoots from the original, so you would find squabbles with everyone saying who was better/right, or the Truth.

 This would cause so much strife and a real fight in my heart, soul and mind, to where I would toss and turn all night, and find myself getting weary.

 That is why when I read what you wrote, it hit home...

I don't know anything really, I don't know who's ideals, truth, paths are true or correct, I don't know where they will lead.

 But I know what loves does, I know where love leads.

 True love never fails, True love heals all ills, True love conquers all fears, hatred, sadness, loneliness and on and on to infinity and beyond:)

Love is the true path and I will follow that path, it doesn't have to be more complicated than that..

Blessings a loads of love to all

1ofmany

Jack

joined and became a ambassador a few days ago.

Read many pods, profiles, emails from new friends.

My head is really swimming to be honest.

My life for the most part has been lived in a closed box.

 Came from a fundamental christian background, which left no room for any other ways to God, or roads to a fulfilling spiritual journey.

 I am excited to learn so much for my friends here, but at the same time I do have a little fear as I was raised with the fear of hell and damnation, so my old minds wants to say I am being lead astray by demons so my soul will burn in Hell forever and ever..

 But at the same time, the hell thing don't make sense, as it does not make any sense why God would create people just to send them to eternal torment..

All I know is that I want to grow in spirit to make a difference in others lives, to show unconditional love to all...

 I got a long way to go, but I feel I have many friends here to help me on my journey!!