Abraham Lincoln once remarked to a fellow-passenger on an old time mud-coach that all men were prompted by selfishness. His fellow passenger was antagonizing this position when they were passing over a bridge that spanned a slough. As they crossed this bridge they espied an old razor-backed sow on the bank making a terrible noise because her pigs had got into the slough and were in danger of drowning. As the old coach began to climb the hill, Mr. Lincoln called out, “Driver stop just a moment.” Then Mr. Lincoln jumped out, ran back and lifted the little pigs out of the mud and water and placed them on the bank. When he returned, his companion remarked: “Now Abe, where does selfishness come in on this little episode?” “Why, bless your soul Ed, that was the very essence of selfishness. I should have had no peace of mind all day had I gone on and left that suffering old sow worrying over those pigs. I did it to get peace of mind, don’t you see?” Taken from Feinberg, Psychological Egoism
Author Archives: Andrea
A friend shows up at the perfect time! They always do.
Synchronicity! I’d just returned from the bank, walked out to my mailbox and a friend from out of state was driving by unannounced. Never having been here, she’d driven around several times to see if she could find me. She couldn’t find my house because the Universe was delaying her until I could return. Thirty seconds after I drove into the garage and dropped my purse inside, I went out to move the sprinkler. I also checked the mailbox, although I knew the mailman was a few blocks away. Had I not walked out there out of habit, she would have not seen me. We were definitely in sync. We had a neat visit and I showed her around AndreaLand. While everyone knows to not visit without calling first, it was perfect timing. It always is.
Spiritual Teachers with Questionable Track Records? By Focusing On That, Are You Sure You’re Not Simply Distracting Yourself From Your Own Inner Work?
The topic yesterday in Facebook messages was men who masquerade as spiritual teachers yet have a history of being unconscious in their own relationships. I had my own experience in December 2012 so no need to rehash. Jeff Brown writes If we don’t let go of what we carry, we won’t move an inch. I let stuff go as quickly as I can. Not everyone does that. My friend is charismatic, talks a great talk, but to this day refuses to take responsibility for a trail of relationship wreckage he left in his wake, including his mother, his wife, his daughter, exes, friends. When called on it, he blows up, cuts the cord and moves into a new set of friends. In the Facebook messages, a particular spiritual teacher who some view as a guru is new on the scene and is being criticized by some for not acting as people expect him. I’ve been in the genre since the 70’s and seen many “gurus” come and go. It is the job of the guru to dash our beliefs and expectations and make ourselves question everything we’ve become comfortable in. They are working their own karma out, just as we are. My experience is that our current relationships are only as conscious as our past partings were, and that includes everyone. Steve Hart wrote today on Facebook: “Pay close attention to what is before you… it is there for a reason…” Everyone, what is before YOU right now? What do you think is the reason? Why do you think you attracted the “guru” into your line of sight?
The Magic Balm Is In The Truth
Who would do such a thing? God would!
If we don’t let go of what we carry, we won’t move an inch
It is always good to remember that we have all the healing tools we need inside of us. For every wound, there is a healing path. That is not to say that we don’t need support, but if we can just give ourselves permission to move the darkness out, more light will come in to fill the empty space. We can do 1,000 workshops and read another 1,000 books, but if we don’t make the courageous decision to let go of what we carry, we won’t move an inch. Jeff Brown
The clue you’re on the right path is that it’s easy and effortless
It is so true, when you are on the right path doing what you were meant to do, and alongside the people you were meant to be with, everything flows smoothly and easily and effortlessly. I used to believe there was virtue in the suffering. That’s when I wanted to justify staying in a situation I hadn’t received the lesson from yet. Troubles come to pass, they don’t stay for long when you’re doing what you’re meant to do.
Unless the shell cracks, nothing changes
For the first time in years, my IN box is empty!!
Finally! All the bookkeeping is done! I’ve literally not been caught up with it in, well, years. One problem is I make notes when I speak to people about an ad, then I enter the notes into my bookkeeping program so when we speak again, I can recall the conversation. An old paralegal habit. Since I speak to a lot of people, I end up with a lot of filing that I never get to. Until now. Now it’s done! I am self employed. I admit to goofing off a good part of many days, but when I work, I work. Last year I got motivated to pay down some debt and right afterward met someone I wanted to make time for. I’m lucky he’s a workaholic like me, and that he lives a block away. It’s a good fit. I feel blessed. I was inspired by him being debt free. I set a goal of paying off my car and a few other things by the end of the year and am real excited I’ve begun doing that. Being excited about it makes it happen faster. Having the bookkeeping off my desk gives me room to breathe. Room to breathe means room to play!
If I think I’m any higher on any ladder than you are, that places me in service to you. Sometimes I forget. It’s a process.
I look at friends around me who are living lives of less than stellar integrity, who haven’t yet learned the lessons I’ve learned. All too often I think I need to fix them. Now I have come to recognize that by identifying their ignorance, this automatically places me in service to them. You, too. I know it’s not my place to judge what God allows another person to do or even to get away with.
Anyone you are smarter than, or you have more knowledge than, that places you in service to them. That does not enslave them to you.
I see it as my honor to have the chance to practice patience, humility and generosity of spirit. To do otherwise simply means I’ve forgotten. Sometimes I forget. Then I remember again. It’s a process.
Whatever it is, it’s okay. The magic balm is in the truth.
Some friends are hurting. They are threatening to sue someone and weave stories to convince themselves it’s okay. They don’t get that whatever it is, it’s okay. Their story is valid, no reason to spin tales. The magic balm is in the truth. I saw it happen. I said, “You can reframe it all you want but you purposely lied and got caught. If you’d stop bringing it up and trying to prove you weren’t lying, the matter would be closed by now. Drop it. Stop creating more karma for yourself.” They remind me of a personal situation where someone keeps forgetting my ex and I were apart four months before she came on the scene. She likes her version so she can keep mentioning me. It’s okay, let her have poetic license, but the truth is the better story. Continue reading