Spared
The asteroid that fizzled out before reaching earth. The terrorist plot that was foiled once again. Trees falling on the road long after we passed by. The bug spray fending off infectious mosquitoes. Locked doors blocking thieves. Street lights aiding night vision. Warning signs. Hunches. Intuition. Near misses.
How great it feels when we realize that we have been spared.
Over a month ago, two of my daughters and my son-in-law were in a terrible car accident. It’s still hard for me to talk about the damage, but I can say that their lives were spared. This is in fact my first blog post since the morning I rushed to the hospital in the dark before dawn. I’m still getting over the agony of witnessing my children in severe distress. Now, as they heal and struggle to overcome their injuries I am acutely aware of what I take for granted: Swallowing. Talking. Writing.
If it’s true that in every moment of every day one of us, if not all of us, are spared some terrible outcome, maybe it is appropriate for me to work harder at being mindful and grateful ALL THE TIME.
Dog bites and bee stings are just what I asked for.
What if I considered dog bites and bee stings the benefits of being spared something worse? “Thank goodness for that dog bite and the bee sting and all the bad news I’ve been getting these days!” I’d write in my blog posts. I’d say to my clients when they got laid off, “Great! Better to go hungry than to answer to that pin head one more day.” I’d show them ponies jumping over rainbows and fields of green organic vegetables filling every hungry belly. I’d ask, “Stubbed your toe?” And then say, ” Wonderful!” “Caught the flu?” I’d ask and then exclaim, “Fantastic!” This is what changing karma and lessening karmic retribution is all about. This is what’s meant by, “God is good all the time.”
You can sustain a state of grace for about as long as you can balance on your tippy toes.
Like you I am suspended between heaven and earth, chasing the angels of pleasure and fleeing the demons of pain. My blissful awareness gets interrupted by my smoldering anger, flares of rage, constant fear, perpetual anxiety, the flaws in both my DNA and in my education, considerably high levels of self loathing, recurring pity parties, addiction to grudges, and resistance to forgiveness. Then suddenly these and all the other qualities that make me a perfect spiritual being having a rich human experience disappear when I remember to notice the ever-changing natural wonder of the sky. When I appreciate small things like walking, breathing, and seeing, I reach higher as if balancing on my tip toes and I remember the asteroid did not strike. Spared again!
Nourish Your Mind, Body, & Soul with Goodness 