“Why does bad happen to good people? I switched posts today. I felt I needed to answer a pertinent question from a reader. Her question is one many may have. Her question and my answer follow. If you receive benefit from this blog, and any I post, please, share it so others might as well. Thanks. Enjoy.
Perception Is Not Reality But Your Thoughts Make It So
‘Lincoln, King & Gandhi were assassinated & Jesus was crucified. How do you explain their respective demise compared to their peaceful protests, their “love & compassion, acceptance, forgiveness & inspiration”. Was this in their thoughts also?? Of course I have an exception with Lincoln as he allowed the execution of Native Americans because they hunted off their reservation to feed their starving families as the government agent managing the reservation stole the food & sold it & at the same time writing the emancipation proclamation to free slaves. Just does not compute with me. Bridges collapsed with the bombs of assassination & crucifixion.’ Carol Ann
‘Yes, they faced great opposition. If you are asking did they also bring about their demise by harboring thoughts of it, I don’t know. I am not in their head and hearts. Perhaps, but perhaps not. Einstein stated that, ‘Great spirit must always contend with mediocre minds.’
Perhaps, that is more to the case. Perhaps not. However, it is likely that many reacted to their vision with hostility, making this probable. I don’t know. The answer I am most comfortable with others may not be. I don’t know that it is accurate.
That answer is, what is is.
It happened. Good things can happen to bad people and bad things can happen to good. It is what it is. As with anything and everything in life, something happens and our minds rush to assign a reason, an cause, an excuse, a blame or a complaint.
We react to events mostly from previous chronic habitual conditioning and neural wiring. We react. We can respond. We can learn we have choice. We can choose what we think and how it affects us. Most of us don’t.
Most don’t and sadly won’t because it requires effort to learn to create a ‘pause’ instead of behaving unaware. We have to create an awareness first and then choose how we will think and feel and act. It is possible and desirable to do so but fewer people will.
Once we create a pause we are free, freer, from that conditioning. We learn a new more supportive, useful habit. We wire in a new way to be. Accepting what is and being comfortable without having an answer is tough for many humans. Tougher for some than others.
It requires staying open, not knowing the reasons, not knowing the answers. It means not assigning anything to ‘what is’ but accepting it as ‘it is’. Our reasons, beliefs and assignments, our blames and complaints, as well as our productive, feel good ones are projections.
They aren’t truth. They are versions of possible answers. Potential answers, but are only fragments of all the possibilities. We have been conditioned to look for the single cause, the correct answer. There may or may not be any.
Nothing is wrong with our conditioning or our limitations, except that we mostly are unaware of the constraints that bind us. This is why waking up and becoming aware is important. We need to discover that whether answers are true or not they may be useful.
Rather than seeking truth, seek what the answer does. Does it support you or not? If it is supportive and uplifting great. If it is debilitating and harmful why chose it? I personally, believe awareness is mostly a matter of good taste.
Make wise choices that support us over less than glorious ones. Many make poor choices each moment. Learning how to do otherwise is part of our evolution. It is easier to fall into former chronic conditioning. We don’t have to think about it.
The old habits are the path of least resistance.
It is, at first, much more difficult to stay open and transcend that tendency. We can do it. We simply, first, need to become aware that we need to or want to do it. Awareness is the first step. Acceptance the second. We need to accept what is.
We accept what has been going on, and allow it. We need to accept we want to change. We need to bring our awareness to those moments and decide to be different. Usually, at first, it happens. Only later do we realize we thought and felt and behaved the same.
Eventually, we get quicker and quicker at noticing. At some point we manage to become aware ‘as’ it is happening and choose how to respond. We still need to remain open and accept whatever the outcome. Please realize I am using the word need.
We don’t need to do anything. It is desirable to do these things. we can do these things. Need is just another word. All of us choose whether we will or won’t. We are able to move ourselves forward, onward and upward.
That may mean having access to answers we otherwise wouldn’t or it may means answers aren’t so important. I do not know why things happen as they do. I don’t know if ‘the’ answer is accurate or not. I do not care. Is it useful. For me, it is useful but definitely not ‘true’.
There is no way I know whether it is true. I think we are all one with an infinite source of energy. We are the ocean. We are water. Whether together as the ocean or as individual drops on a side walk we are all ocean. Everything (including the sidewalk) is.
We have always been and always will be energy. The individual drops evaporate but remain. It goes back into the system. This energy is consciousness. Everything past, present, future, is. This energy allows for scenarios to play out for the ‘drop’s’ edification.
Struggles, hardship, disappoint, good times, family friends, enemies, ease and opposition are all aspects of it. The drop either becomes aware of this before evaporating or perhaps has some other opportunity.
Some versions of this think we go around once and a place awaits those afterward. Some of who believe that version believe the place is dependent on either a decision and relationship or on acts. A reward or punishment awaits.
Some believe the drops become new drops again and again until they no longer need to manifest as drops. Some believe nothing happens and it is over. Personally, I don’t know or care. I know, for myself at present, I am a drop and also much, more than a drop.
At some time this drop will evaporate. Form will change but energy will persist. I know as of now this is a reason, an answer, an explanation that may or may not be ‘true’. I allow for error. It is all okay. I am divine presence or energy as each of us are.
Whatever happens happens. What is is. How I live my life with love, joy, celebration is what moves me. I apologize I can’t provide a more definitive answer. I think there are laws to the universe that we attempt to understand and utilize if we are aware.
For example. We live on a very tiny globe in a vast expanding space. We are so very tiny yet we appear to ourselves somewhat large. We are huge compared to ants. Small compared to whales and elephants. Perception is everything. We see through a glass dimly.
The earth is spinning while revolving around a sun in s system that rotates as it expands outward into ‘gawd whatever is out there to expand into??’. I have no answer for this. It just appears to be what is based on what we believe we know from our human investigations.
Still there are seasons. There is day and night. There are ‘weather events’ as determined by us. Things happen. Things just are. ‘IS’. Day becomes night and night day. We go from season to season. Why? I don’t know. I only know I can utilize them.
I can plant seeds in one and harvest in another.
I can dress accordingly. I can enjoy or complain. It is what it is. How I respond determines how much joy I have or how much I miss. I hope in a small way I have answered your question. I do know, it is a question for which I have no answer.’
Your Boundaries are Determined By Your Perceptions And Beliefs
That was and is my answer to her, for now. It could change. I know there are people who will say so what, great answer or it sucks. Whatever they do they will do. I know there are people who fight over answers and go to war over issues.
People fight over what they believe. Perceptions are not ‘true’.
So no reader misconstrues: It is important to realize I am promoting what is good and positive. What can you do that benefits you and other humans? What expands and adds value to all of us Seek higher positive good. Love, accept more, create more peace.
Our Character Is Determined By Our Responses To Circumstances
I don’t feel the need to fight about it. I’d rather live and enjoy being the drop. I prefer to discover what I discover. Struggles, for me, are becoming more and more blessings. Opposition needn’t be feared or avoided or hated. Opposition can make us better and stronger.
The more I accept and say yes and allow the more I expand and become free and enjoy. The more I say no and attempt to exclude the more I contract and feel less than glorious. Neither is ‘right’ or ‘true’ but one is more preferable for me. That is how or why I choose.
When and if I remember to be aware. It is much more likely I will be aware, and you will be, when filled with appreciation and gratitude for everything. When we delight and allow and accept in this fashion so much opens up for us. This is why I say celebrate everything!” Rex Sikes
Make today a happy day for you and others!
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Horizons photo used with permission of Phil Koch.
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