Your Child-like Heart Will Save The World

A few weeks ago, I had a silly disagreement with a friend and, in a heated moment, he scolded me and said, "You're acting like a child!"

Upon first hearing that, it wounded me.  A great deal.  Not because acting like a child is a bad thing (because I think it's a great thing), but  because my friend made that accusation with so much venom.

In the end, I was hurt more for him, than me.

And yet, as I look back in retrospect, the "child" reference is such a compliment...as the child's heart that I posses has always been so very good to me.

It's kept me healthy, and strong - and young.

I always take my work very seriously, and I always take my life very seriously.

But I never take myself seriously at all.

The "unseriousness" of my child's heart has kept me singing and dancing since 1960 - and it will keep me energized forever, through good times and bad.

For, ultimately, on the flip side, I know how mature I am.

I know the maturity that it takes to have accomplished the things I've accomplished in life, professionally and personally, against all odds and obstacles.

I know the maturity that it required to serve as primary caregiver for my elderly ill parents for 15 years - and I was certainly younger at the time, then I am today (physically, psychologically and and even spiritually).

I know the maturity - and unsurmountable courage - it takes to have uprooted myself, time and again, to follow dreams that others, in many instances (if not all), have tried to curtail me from pursuing, if mostly with their best intentions.

I know the maturity it requires to dream big.

I know the maturity it requires to stand firm in the midst of any challenge.

I know the maturity it requires to laugh in the face of the bullies of the world, as they battle their insecurities and personal demons.

I know the maturity it requires to "take it like a man," and to laugh like a child - even when I feel like crying like a baby.

So if someone happens to one day say that you're acting like a child.

Stand firm, keep a smile in your heart and on your face, and remember all the maturity it required to get you where are.

And then, somehow, your accusor will one day open their eyes to understanding the importance of widening their margins of error.

Soon following, they will bless you for having been in their lives to help them see their flaws - the flaws that we all share in this broken world - a world that that is more times than not held together by the laughter of a child.

I'm A Love-tian

Anything that is said or done or thought that is not Love is not God...

Because Love is God.

And I listen to what Love says...

Because with Love there are never any conditions, commands or judgements.

Love is Love...unconditionally...without judgement or demands.

I listen to Love.

I'm a Love-tian.

Invest In Your Joy, Instead of Your House or Car

Does anybody anymore really just buy anything just to have it and enjoy it?!

Does EVERYTHING have to be an "investment"?

Can't we just buy a house or a car and mere embrace it for what it is - in the moment?

Do our homes and vehichles HAVE to give us a "return investment" - one that we "trade in" after only a few years?

Back in the day, people purchased homes and cars to actually enjoy them, long-term, over a lifetime.

Maybe not so much with cars, but houses for sure.

So, please, everybody - let's stop the insanity, ok?

Just buy your house, or your condo, or even sign a long-term lease on a beautiful apartment home...and, for the love of Heaven, please...just ENJOY it - TODAY...and stop thinking about what kind of "return investment" you can or will make on it in the future.

When Love Is God There Are No Divisions

Do you really think that the God of Love in Heaven has anything to do with war?

Do you really think that the God of Love in Heaven would turn any of his children against the other?

Would any sane earthly father or mother do such a thing with their biological children?

Of course not.

Then why would anyone think that the same of any true loving-kind God of Heaven and his spiritual children?

In effect, we are all Children of the Light...children of the same loving God in Heaven.

Whoever is dividing us on earth has little to do with Love.

And if Love IS God, and I believe that it is, and if Love is never jealous than how could there be a jealous God?

It doesn't make sense.

So whatever god is turning nation against nation, brother against brother, friend against friend, political party against political party...and religion against religion...that god...is NOT the God of Love of Heaven.

For when Love is God there are no religions.

And when Love is God there are no divisions.

Christian ("Batman") Bale's Generous Heart

The way EVERY celebrity should be...for the betterment of the world....(please see link for full story)


http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/christian-bale-flies-young-cancer-patient-disneyland-368906

Light Through Yonder Breaks

We live in a broken world…where things aren't always that easily fixed, if ever fixed at all.  But every one and a while…a Light shines through the cracks of this world…a Light that periodically helps to mend those cracks a tiny bit.  In the process of it all, this broken, unfixable world becomes a little less broken…and a lot more kind...with a Love that blossoms from the Light with a measure of Loving-Kindness that we get to take with us when we leave this broken world behind.

The Reward/Punishment System Doesn't Work

Someone reaches out to you because they deem you worthy.

They lend their hand to help you.

You accept in kindness.

They have good intentions, but things don't work out.

You reach back to them and ask for a slight change in the plans.

They resent you for telling them how to help you.

But what does that have to do with sincerely helping anyone?

In the end, you shouldn't have to walk on coals fearing you will offend anyone, whether they are helping you or you are helping them.

There should be no Reward/Punishment system among friends, loved-ones or co-workers.

Such thoughts are incongruent to true partnership, certainly with regard to favors.

When you favor someone, you love them, and they should feel that favor with love in return.

If somehow that favor was misperceived, then it must be fixed.

In either case, all things should be said, written and done for the highest good of all concerned...however that is made to happen.

The conditional Reward/Punishment system has little to do with true assistance, and everything to do with control.

Compromise in gentleness, with a clear, positive communication between all parties, is the only way to go

Blessings to all...

The Power of Words

The Bible says, "By your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned" (Matt. 12: 37); "Death and life are in the power of the tongue" (Prov. 12: 21); And "Thou shall also decree a thing, and it shall be established unto thee" (Job 22: 28).

Charles Fillmore, cofounder of Unity, wrote: "The spoken word carries vibrations through the Universe ether, and also moves the intelligence inherent in every form, animate or inanimate."

Ernest Holmes, founder of the Church of Religious Science, has written: "The word gives form to the unformed. The greater the consciousness behind the word, the more power it will have. Just words, without conviction, have no power, and just conviction, without words, will never stir up latent energy. There must be a combination of the two to make a complete thing."

The Tibetan master D.K., through Alice A. Bailey, has said: "Every Word differentiated or synthesized, affects the deva kingdom, and hence the form-building aspects of manifestation. No sound is ever made without producing a corresponding response in deva substance."

As author John Randolph Price writes in his wonderful book, THE ANGELS WITHIN US, "From these resources it should be obvious why the masters of the early academies taught the aspirants to be aware of the consequences of words on the mental, emotional, etheric, and physical planes. They were schooled in the Power of sound and how words spoken with a controlled mind could literally change the force field around any form, including the belief system of the personality, and free the imprisoned spiritual consciousness."

As Price continues to write in ANGELS, he began to use the old Oriental standard to gauge the value of speech: Is it true? It is kind? It is needful? The result of this brief survey, Price discovered, was that only a few of his remarks passed the three tests. And that he admitted that when monitoring his own words, he missed the mark several times, even though he was consciously trying to measure the quality of what he was saying. "We are all walking around with a loaded gun between our teeth," he revealed, "and our tongues seem to love to pull the trigger."

"Remember," he concluded, "we are either healing or harming" with our words, spoken or written. "There is no in-between, so even in our humor we should practice harmlessness. Let's be builders of the new world through constructive words and creators of harmony with loving words."

What We Should Have All Been Taught As Children...

...And What We Should All Teach Our Children Today:


Do your best in whatever you attempt, and in every attempt you will succeed. Always have forgiveness and Love in your heart, and your needs - whatever they may be - will never go unfulfilled. Be a beacon of Light to everyone who chooses or refuses to see you. In doing so, your carefree spirit will glow, you will become a magnet of peace, and the world - and everyone in it - will become your graceful and protective shelter. Know that you are Loved - and that you are a beautiful child - in a world filled with other beautiful children. More than anything, realize that you are no less or more perfect than any other child - and that we are all equal in the eyes of Love.

Kindness Trumps Talent

Years ago, I directed a musical for the Rochester Association of Performing Artists (a.k.a. RAPA), and spent weeks auditioning many actors, singers and dancers of all ages.

A diverse amount of extremely talented performers gave it their all during the auditions, but of course I could only narrow it down to a chosen few who would win the various lead and supporting roles.

But it soon became clear who would round out the cast.

I was impressed with the excessive talent of some, but more impressed with the extreme kindness of others. Some of those with the most talent, unfortunately, did not have the best personalities - nor the kindest of demeanors. And some of those with less talent - and in some cases, no talent at all, appeared to be less egotistical and potentially the easiest with whom to work.

So, I was faced with a dilemma:

Hire the most talented who were also the most egostical and difficult personalities?

Or

Cast the least talented who were the gentlest of souls?

Ultimately, it ended up being a good mix. I cast those who were talented AND kind, and I also cast some who were not talented, but yet kind. Either way, I did not cast any of egotistical and somewhat mean-spirited - but extremely talented performers. They would have to at some point try again later for another production of mine, or somewhere else in town.

Years after that, when I started teaching acting at Rochester, New York's Historic German House, I came across a similar experience. There were many fine actors who enrolled for my classes, and in doing so, they had to audition. I was a tough teacher, and expected a great deal from each of them. However, many who attended those classes went on to great things, in and out of the entertainment field.

In any case, there was this one particular student who stood out. But not for the reasons that one might expect.

He was an awkward sort. He was very tall and very thin, and not very coordinataed or particularly talented. But this actor had heart - and passion - and determination. And he was one of the kindest souls I had ever met. I knew that when he auditioned for my class, and I experienced that throught the entire semester.

And once the course began, and each time he stepped in front of the class to work on a scene, either by himself or with another student, his talent did not shine, but his kind heart and determination to do his best lit up the room. What's more, I was so proud of my other students whenever he did one of this scenes.

Not one of them snickered or laughed at his performance. They supported him 100% - which not only was one of the rules in my class, but it was something that each of them CHOSE to do on their own.

I could never bring myself to tell this particular student that he might not have "what it takes" to make a success of acting, becuse acting was just too important to him. He loved it so much. He loved to perform. "I don't want to do anything else," he would tell me again and again.

So, I kept him in my class - but not because I wanted his money - but because I enjoyed his good heart. He was an inspiration to my students - and he was an inspiration to me.

And I never charged him a dime. His passion and determination for acting - and his kind heart and gentle spirit - trumped his lack of theatrical talent. And he taught me more about life - than I could have ever taught him about acting.