Forever

"There was never a time when you and I did not exist.
Nor will there be any future when we shall cease to be."
(Krishna to Arjuna in the Bhagavad-Gita)

Ego, Self-Doubt, & The Shadow

It is very rare that people can see themselves as they really are.
Our Ego is part of our psyche that protects the person that we "think we are" from the person that we "really are". The way we see ourselves as opposed to the way others see us. Seldom do you meet someone who is enlightened to a point where the two are actually the same.

Of course, the person that we "think we are" is not always the better of the two. Self-doubt, and poor self-image cause millions of people to view themselves in a negative light. I know several people who believe themselves to be unworthy, unattractive, unloveable who are, in reality, amazing, beautiful people. (Conversely, I know others who think they are "All that and a cheese sandwich" who are actually quite hideous. But that is for another Blog.)

I wish that for just one day, I could see myself as I appear to the world that I interact with, to the people who are important to me. I know that I wouldn't like it, but I think that I would learn a lot.

Harder even that facing the self that others see, is to face the Shadow self. This is the self that dwells deep within us all, that thinks the inappropriate thoughts, wishes bad things on people, wonders the impossible "what ifs", and makes us ask ourselves, "Am I a terrible person?" It is responsible for every bad choice that we make when our conscience tells us not to, but we do it anyway.

We try to keep this self locked away so that nobody sees it, and so that we don't have to face it. But there comes a time in your life when you have to face the Shadow. You have to battle the Shadow, and defeat it, in order to move closer to enlightenment. Of course there is always a chance that you will lose. But that is a chance you have to take to find your true self.

Finding your true self, is the first step to finding true happiness.

On My Honor...

Today, there are too few people willing to protect the helpless, or help the oppressed, or fight for what is good and right, or even defend the virtue of a lady. So many choose the easy road. The road where they can blame others for their actions, where nothing is their fault and they take no responsibility for themselves, their families, or their nation. After Katrina, Police left their posts and walked away. In the Superdome, people were raped and killed and no one even attempted to intervene on their behalf. Everyday, women and children are left to fend for themselves, or depend on the government for assistance, while the fathers and husbands and boyfriends sit on their ass and watch it all happen. (If they are even still around.)
It hurts my spirit.

Long ago, when the world could still tell the difference between Good & Evil, before the "grey area" (that so many things seem to fall into) was ever used as an excuse, there was a Code that Knights were sworn to live by.

The Code Of Chivalry

The code states that;

Thou shalt respect the weak and constitute thyself the defender thereof.
Thou shalt love the land to which thou hast sworn fealty.
Thou shalt not recoil before the enemy.
Thou shalt make war upon evil without exception.
Thou shalt scrupulously perform thy noble duties, be they not contrary to the laws of the land.
Thou shalt be generous and give freely to everyone.
Thou shalt never lie and shall always be faithful to thy word.
Thou shalt always and everywhere be the champion of the Right and the Good against Injustice and Evil.

Because,

A Knight is sworn to Valor;
His heart must know only Virtue;
His blade must defend the helpless,
And his might shall uphold all weak.
His breath shall bring words that speak only truth.
His justly wrath shall undo the wicked.

These tenets to live by, exemplify the seven Knightly Virtues of:
Justice, Loyalty, Defense, Courage, Faith, Humility, and Generosity.
I believe that these were intended to counter the Seven Deadly Sins of: Lust, Gluttony, Greed, Sloth, Wrath, Envy, and Pride.

I, for one, have chosen to do my best to live by this Code.
Don't get me wrong, I haven't always. There was a time when I found myself right there along with the wicked. But, I have sworn, an oath before God, that I will strike out against Evil wheresoever I may find it, and I will help those who are unable to help themselves.
It is never too late to become a good person. It is never too late to walk the path of virtue. The hard part is staying on that path.
It is not always easy to do the right thing, but it is always right.

Every week with my Scouts I repeat this oath:
On My Honor,
I will do my best,
To do my Duty to God and my country,
And to obey the Scout Law.
To help other people at all times,
To keep myself physically fit, mentally awake, and morally straight.

These are the Knights of tomorrow.
This is the Code they will live by.
They are our future... On My Honor...

The Cone Of Uncertainty

"The Cone Of Uncertainty" is a term used in meteorology when predicting the path of hurricanes. There is a 65% chance of a hurricane making landfall within this predicted "Cone". (Of course this leaves a 35% chance of it hitting outside of cone, landing somewhere within the "Sphere of Uncertainty" which would theoretically cover the entire world. But that is beside the point.)

Since Quantum physics shows time as a collection of malleable and diverse outcomes, and not some fixed future sealed by fate, we could say that every moment of our life is lived within "The Cone of Uncertainty".

The outcomes of tomorrow are created by the decissions and actions of today. Your present situation (Good or Bad) exists because of your past choices (Good or Bad). You create your own reality.

If you are one of those people who sit around saying, "Man, my life is crappy!"
Guess what?
You made it that way.
Suck It Up!

Or, step back inside of "The Cone of Uncertainty" and change it.

Life, Love, & Karma

Everybody deals with the karma that they have created. Sometimes it positive, and sometimes it's negative, but what ever it is, sooner or later it's going to come back around to the soul that created it.
Jesus said, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you." (Matthew 7:12) John said, "And in the end the love you take, is equal to the love you make." (Abbey Road 2:9)

The only way to balance out the negative karma that you have generated is with Love. You must forgive those who are negative towards you. You must show compassion and Love. Towards everyone, not just the good ones, but the bad ones, and the ugly ones too.

"For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." (Galatians 5:14) It's a lot harder than it sounds. My neighbor is a bitch. Sometimes I think it would actually be easier for me to move.

Try it for a whole day. You'll be surprised at how many people are just really, really, really hard to Love.

I, Me, Mine

I am continuously amazed by the number of people that I meet who are all about the "Me". There is no concern for the needs or feelings of others. The only thing in the world that matters to these individuals is the "Me". I guess that makes life easier when all you have to worry about is "How does this effect me?" or "What will I gain from this?"

People are so obsessed with themselves, that they can not take time to consider how they effect those around them. How their actions or inaction causes a ripple that touches the lives of a myriad of people, some they may never even meet.

Let's stop and think for a minute. Do you suppose that when Thomas Edison was working on the light bulb, all he was concerned with was lighting his own home? Or when Tesla was figuring out how to transmit a radio wave from one place to another, he was just wanting to be able to listen to his tunes? I don't think so.

But, maybe that's just "Me".

The "Race" Is On

In the wake of the Hurricane Katrina disaster, with all of the media coverage, why must America again play the "Race" card? I am so sick of hearing about race, any time things don't go the way we want them too, it was because one race was oppressing another race. Because one color of people can't treat the other color of people the way they should be treated.

God created all people, not just the white ones. We are all brothers and sisters. (Or at least 2nd cousins.) Act like it! If we can not Love one another, help one another, tolerate one another what is the point of even being here? If life is a test, we are failing miserably.

Maybe it's because I am color-blind (can't tell red from orange from brown) or maybe it's because I was raised by hippies, but I can't be the only one on the planet who thinks this is retarded. Suck it up! It doesn't always have to be someone else's fault. It doesn't always have to be "us against them". Sometimes, really bad shit just happens, and we are left to deal with the aftermath. Together. There is only one race, (the Human one) and like it or not, we are all in it.

Life is a test... Love is the answer.

Ok. I just gave you the answer. Let's see if we can "pass" this thing and move on.