God Spoke to me the other Day...

...or perhaps it was Don Juan...in any case it wasn't Al Gore or Obama or O'Reilly...it was an impeachable authority and what she said, (it seemed to be a feminine voice) was, "Truth is not enough for you imperfect humans...reality is easily manipulated by one or another of you...it isn't enough that hard scrabble self interest directs your thoughts and view of reality, you refuse to listen to anyone who dares to speak with thoughtfulness and wisdom...so here it is...direct from the voice of the almighty...You are screwing up your planet...global warming is occurring and will devastate much of your world...stop what you are doing and reform...it is my wish and command (which I know will fall on deaf ears)...Your refusal will not incur my wrath, but it will seriously screw up your planet...and by the way...I am not YOUR God to the exclusion of others...get over it...."

Well, something like that anyway...I was never very good at taking dictation and my cell phones and recorders didn't seem to work...but believe me when I tell you that it was definitely God, (or maybe Alla...not clear on that one) and the message was absolutely clear about burning too much fossil fuel...no more arguments...and by the way she didn't think that those of us in America are all that special...mentioned something about us consuming far too much for our own good...seemed a bit chippy about that...anyway, just thought I'd pass it along, argument over...global warming is a reality and God doesn't really give a crap if we mess it all up...she's willing to warn us but it was clear she didn't expect us to do much about it...it was then I knew it must be God...who else would be such a realist?

Listen, enjoy your day, be happy with yourself and those around you, love the one's you're with, and until next time...I remain, Respectfully Yours, Larry





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Honesty, More than just a Policy?

I read a book once called 'Radical Honesty'. It tried to make the point that being "ruthlessly, and precisely" honest was the road to happiness and living the good life...I thought it odd that 'honesty' should have such a modifier as 'Radical' or 'Ruthless'...as Forest would say, "honest is as honest does"...But in any discussion of honesty, It seems, that we all are faced with the seeming conundrum of the little white lie...either telling the truth, or saying something gratuitously hurtful...what is the point of telling someone they look ugly in that blouse, or telling someone how inept they are at some recreational activity...and if it's okay to have a few 'little white lies' where do we draw the line...or is this even the point of honesty?

The answer to that is, "Honesty has little or nothing to do with tactfulness and kindness...Honesty has little to do with being honest with others, altogether, and everything to do with being honest with oneself." If someone asks you to be honest about how they look you'll have to decide if they're being honest...Perhaps what they're really asking for is reassurance and if you want them to be reassured, then telling them they look fine is an honest thing to do...Little white lie? Nonsense...Honesty is being honest with yourself, first and honest with others when you can honestly feel safe enough to do so.

What? Be honest with others only when you feel safe? What kind of policy is that? Honestly? It is half the policy that we all follow...the other half which few of us follow is being honest with ourselves....

We do a lot of things, from an automatic survival perspective and then we lie about it not just to others, but to ourselves. If you will look at your life and start telling the truth to yourself about yourself it might look something like this, "I spend quite a bit of time hiding, or blustering...I'm scared, or in pain and feel like I have to keep that hidden, My public self is often an act and I suspect I'm seldom aware just how much that is true of me...I spend a lot of time rationalizing and justifying myself and my behavior and a lot of time posturing and posing...I avoid seeing both my fear and my pain (what good would that do anyway) and while I often say I'm doing the best I can, I know I'm not...I want to be honest, but honestly I don't think I'm willing to take that big a risk."

Maybe, that's too harsh...maybe pain and insecurity, or self absorption aren't that big a deal in your life and you feel seen and heard most of the time...maybe tranquillity, peace of mind, well being, compassion and kindness fill your day...but if not then you might wish to look into discovering the path to a whole new level of honesty...honesty with yourself and when you're ready...with others as you become more of the solution and less of the problem of living in this over hyped and fractious world...If you wish to struggle less, play more and be an agent for personal and social well being...then be honest with yourself, love the ones you're with, be playful and find compassion for those you find upsetting...until next time, I remain...Respectfully Yours, Larry




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That Makes Me Happy

Ever say that? "That makes me happy." Oh, really! In that statement who has the power...YOU or the 'circumstance' to which you are referring? Who would you prefer to have the power to make you happy...your inner self or willy nilly circumstances?

We all know the answer to that one...but when it comes to language and to the way we act...circumstance is often the winner...It does make me happy when I am heard and listened to...I am happy you liked what I had to say...It makes me sad when you criticise me, and through it all, in the game of ping pong (and life)...I am the ball.... I don't want to be the ball and I don't think you do either...Yes, it makes us happy to win, and sad to lose, it makes us happy to be loved and sad when someone is ill or dies...and yet, who are we referring to where these things are true? If you will indulge me for a moment I should like to answer that....

When we say, "That makes 'me' happy", we are referring to the little 'me' the reactionary automatic survival 'me'...not the 'ME' of our Authentic Self. In the response to life from our authentic self we make ourselves happy and are happy, even in the face of death or crippling circumstance...it is why when researchers asked a number of P.O.W.'s if they could live their life again and eliminate the torture and confinement of their imprisonment, "...would they do it?" The answer from almost all was, "No, never, I know I could never learn many of the life lessons that make me who I am today, without the experiences I had then." It seems impossible, but life circumstance and experience is teaching us and creating and recreating us to be all that we can be..."it is all a blessing" and we can choose to find that place in ourselves where that last statement is true...If you are struggling to do that in any area of your life, then let these words soothe you, and/or find a life coach and open yourself up to their support....

"That makes the little me happy." Yes, it does and even if you don't say it...THINK IT..."That makes the little 'me' happy and the big 'ME' knows the truth...I am happy because I choose to be." Be happy, or sad, be depressed or upset, blame the circumstances all you want (the little 'you'), and then remind yourself that happiness is a choice, 'well being' a state of mind, and joyfulness a gift you give voluntarily to the world...love the one's you're with...remember to go gently into the world, bring kindness, compassion and love to your interactions with others and with yourself...until next time, I remain...Respectfully Yours, Larry





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The Cave, A Story for when the Days seem Hard

Once upon a time, a very long time ago, there was a tribe of people who lived all of their days in a cave...each person had their own room and when they met in the center chamber they would share "all about their world" which consisted entirely of the details of the caverooms they lived in...One day, a brave Cavonian found their way to the mouth of the cave and walked out into the world...Oh, My, they were overwhelmed with the possibilities and magisty and couldn't wait to get back and tell their fellow Cavonians....

"Please, please, gather 'round...I've just returned from a place I'll call outside."
"Outside of what," was the universal response.
"Outside of the cave you are in," the young Cavonian replied.
"Nonsense," They said in unison.
"But let me tell you about the trees, and colors, and sky and possibilities, and, and, and...."
"If such were so, surely someone before YOU would have seen these things...this is all nonsense, leave us and go to your caveroom...."
and so the young Cavonian was unable to convince a single person of what they were sure was true beyond the cave of their existence.

When you are in your cave...the cave of upset, victim hood, stress, anger, helplessness, anxiety, depression, fear, loneliness, doubt, frustration, confusion, sadness or ill health...never doubt for a moment that it is the cave of the moment you are living in...and when someone...anyone comes along and suggests that there is more to life than that cave you are living in...Listen to them...ask them to show you, "Outside" and be patient with them as they struggle to lead you to the entrance that you have forgotten exists. If you hold on too tightly to the truth of your cave...you will be right...and those that see the outside will go on without you....

When you are sad, or hurt or feeling the pain of loss, don't hesitate to share with others where you are and ask them if they have seen the entrance to this place, because you have lost your way and you would like to hear from them the stories of "outside of here"...then let them share with you and help you find the path back to the outside of the caves and boxes we all climb into from time to time....

You are a child of the universe, you belong here, you deserve to be loved and you are loved, you deserve to be cherished and you are cherished, you deserve to be free and you are free to believe in yourself, love yourself, and find peace and contentment, no matter the circumstance, in your life...you have much to give and much to share and we look forward to the time you will lead us, in our time of need...be well, love the one's you're with...Until next time, I remain...Respectfully Yours, Larry





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Telling the Truth to Yourself

Sometimes we get caught up in worring about, "What is the truth?"...Did O. J. do it, was the advertising honest, do politicians ever tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth, did our kids really just 'go to the mall', can I trust a salesman...etc?...I ascribe to a different truth, "You can't cheat an honest (wo)man." W.C. Fields

Worrying about the truth of others is missing the point...What is true for you? In your most honest moments, you know that YOU could be more honest (if not, you haven't looked hard enough)...Being present to reality, letting go of expectations, releasing from the stories we tell about our lives and letting go of our insecurities (about ourselves and our okayness), will bring us closer to the truth....

The truth we seek is in ourselves...not outside...when someone lies to us, personal or otherwise, they depend on our dishonesty...if we look to ourselves, the lies will have no power and our lives will be little affected...Lies have their own stink, and when you're centered you'll smell it...the truth will be clear...even if it is simply, "I don't know what the truth is right now." Telling someone that, from a truthful place, will disarm them...You will see how hard they may try, "...to get you to believe them"...But if you remain centered in your own truth you will find that the answers will be clearer than ever before....

The person you most NEED to tell you the truth...IS YOU..."It seems true" is fine, or, "I'm uncomfortable with what you're saying." or, "That doesn't seem to be true for me." can all be true for us...But we don't say these things because we don't want to offend...we want to believe people and we want them to take care of us...but first we must take care of ourselves and in the process we take care of them...If I lie to you and you accept it, I lose respect for you...If I lie to you and you refuse to be taken in...I'm mad, frantic, determined to convince...AND...in the end relieved, that you didn't buy into it...It is a great act of kindness to be true to yourself, because in the end it supports others to find their path....

It is not an easy journey...this telling yourself the truth...but it is worth the trials...you will benefit, others will benefit, life will seem more vital and you will feel more alive...tell the truth and in time it will vanquish anxiety, depression, distress and frustration...the truth (if it is yours) will set you free...It is not an argument, and you needn't argue, it is simply the truth...remember this New Years to move forward in your journey to tell yourself the truth; and in between...love the one's you're with...until next time...I remain...Respectfully Yours, Larry






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...and to you, Peace, Harmony and Love

...Extra Terrestrials have been sighted less than one light year from earth...they seem to be coming in an armada or flotilla of ships...headed, apparently, directly for earth....

We are one people...earthlings...bracing for what is to come, needing to depend upon each other...now, it is time to set aside our differences, focus on what makes us one people...come together and welcome the strangers...let them know that they can not divide us...we are strong because we are one....

One day perhaps we will include them, but for now it is important to know and trust our neighbors...we have learned that the only weapon the others have brought with them is the power to play one against the other...we must be vigilant and remain resolute...we are one...one people, no matter where we are found on this planet...we will not be divided...for it is only in division that we are weak and that we will fall...If we remain true to our people, peace will ensue, security will be complete, and love between us all, will conquer...they have as much told us so...in their arrogance they said, "You, people of earth, will not stand for long before our weapons of disharmony and divisiveness...you will fall into meaningless squabbles and look to us as saviors...we will own you and your planet within the year...you are helpless before our manipulations of making you play favorites against each other...You are enslaved now in your petty fights and forever more you will be enslaved to your own weaknesses...the Algorithms"....

We have a little time, now, reach out to whomever you have a dispute, release and resolve, make peace and let it grow until nations do the same...love the ones you're with...love yourself...be well...have the happiest of holidays, however, you chose to celebrate....until next time, I remain...Respectfully Yours, Larry





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The Day after Tomorrow...

On that day things will be better...today is full of living, feelings, frustrations, things undone and yet to do and won't get done...but the day after tomorrow will be different...I hope...the day before yesterday was a good day and even if there were some problems it wasn't so bad...today is not the same at all...things are crazy, issues are real, stuff neeeeeds to be done, today....

Today, of course, is the day after tomorrow and will be the day before yesterday...It is what we have, and it is the best of all possible worlds...it is also the worst of all possible worlds and the least important of all that we want...in short, it is everything under the sun...today is what we have, precious, and practical, frustrating and wondrous...today is the moment where all your dreams will be fulfilled...not tomorrow, and not last night...today...if life has you down, or frustration is building...stop, breathe, let yourself experience your feelings...and then let go...breathe, again...and remember, today is the best time in the world, and you are everything you need to be...it has always been so and it will always be so...today is where we live and you can have peace of mind, today...if you choose...declare it to be, feel what you need to feel and move on...not sometime tomorrow, but right now, today....

I hope this will be the best holiday for each of you...and that you will feel the love, good will and joy that the winter solstice can bring as we end the seasons of planting and gathering and join hands to share the quiet of long winter nights...be well, love the ones you're with...I remain, Respectfully Yours, Larry






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