Guiding Thought

What is fulfillment but knowing our Self as an expression of Divine Love? Our Self wills to create! Our Self wills to share! Our Self wills to extend itself! Our fulfillment is creation; our joy is sharing; our peace is extension.

Sharing

Over the past 48 hours, I have met some amazing people. My trip to Chicago started with observing the beautiful interaction at the train station.  And that energy seemed to continue throughout my entire trip. I was blessed by so many people:

Victor: the guy who dropped his baggage claim ticket, which I chased down to make sure he had it—he gave me such a beautiful, appreciative smile.

My cab driver to the hotel: an American-Romanian, who had been to Seminary in Romania and almost became a priest, we had an interesting talk about the Philokalia.

Christian: The woman at the hotel desk, who put everything right.

Everyone at the University: Jessica, Annie, Luke, Chloe, Aaron, Abigail, Francey, Viviana…and all the rest. EVERY single one of the people I have EVER met who are associated with the Newcombe Fellowship are amazing people: intelligent, caring, thoughtful, disciplined, attentive, gracious…beautiful people; this group was no different.

Sandy: my waitress at The Promontory who was helpful and cheerful—I know that it was her “job”, but there are some qualities that you just can’t fake.

Samuel: The guy cleaning the counter at the Hyatt; an amazing human being. I asked him how he was, he said, “Amazing”. I said, “Are you always amazing, or is something unique about today?” He said, “I always wake up and feel amazing.” He had a natural ease and generosity of spirit about him. His amazing was infectious. We had a nice little conversation about that… he said, “This is just who I am, what I do”.

Jevary and Oscar: the shoe-shine guys at the airport. Oscar lent me his stool—he was so generous and gracious; Jevary, who was just…sweet.

Jonathan: my new friend. We ended up on an uber-Uber-adventure together after both getting on the wrong train. Who knew I had to go to Chicago to meet a really nice young man who lives 5 minutes from me?

The Uber Driver who picked up Jonathan and me (I don’t remember his name): This was another gentleman with a gracious spirit, firmly established in the gift of life. He was shot 3 times about 2 years ago, and thought he was going to die. He said, “I laid there looking up at that beautiful sky, looking at my blood pooling around me, the blood on my hands, and I prayed to God, ‘Just let me see my son one more time’”. There’s something powerful about talking with someone who has had an experience like that and who understands on such a personal level how valuable life is, how valuable people and relationships are, how beautiful life is.

One theme from A Course in Miracles is how important it is to see the Holy Spirit within others—this is how it grows within you. Once you begin to see it in others, it is reflected back to you, and you see/experience It more strongly in yourself. Then, I can imagine, it’s like standing in between two mirrors and the reflection continues infinitely.

The trick is to extend yourself first. THEN you see it in others. I really believe that I experienced all of these people as beautiful, amazing, sweet, generous, and gracious because I have been doing this work, the work of being aware of extending the Divine in myself. They and I are we and me.

I look forward to meeting you one day, if we have not already, and seeing how amazing you are. What exquisite beings we are.