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 Sometime
very early in life I became convinced that life was good and
that I was going to be happy with my part of it. Perhaps my
mother told me so, or maybe it was just the psychology of a
happy childhood. Anyhow, it was a factual reality — not
emotional or mystical. Mamma said if we did the right thing all
would turn out well. Doing the right thing meant to work hard,
be clean and honest, and be satisfied with what we got. Laugh if
you want to — and be unhappy. I’ll continue to believe it,
and prosper.
It
seems like self-deception to tell yourself that you are lucky,
but once you get the hang of it you may find it is so. Of course
one must learn how to look at the experiences of life.
Disappointments come, but they will so often be the beginning of
something better that we can assign them a place in our
education. It becomes a challenge to see how we can take
advantage of them.
There
is no “secret” to a good life. If you have nothing but a
cave for an abode, clean it out. Square up the walls a bit, and
dig a vent so the smoke can escape. Build a rock garden at the
entrance. You may sell it to some hippy for a pile of bread.
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The
idea is to use what you have. There are those whose dreams hang
in space, unrelated to where they are. But dreams must have
foundation, and we must learn to see what we are and what we
have as related parts of our future. This is where we begin, and
with this we must build. That’s why you are so lucky to have
what you have. It is specially suited to the dream you are
capable of realizing.
An
alcoholic who lost all and was at the bottom of the ditch —
decided to, use what he had (experience) to keep others from
coming to this end. He remade his life (and was surprised to
find it so) by giving it to others. And what is truly true in
this life is equally true with reference to our spiritual life,
and beyond. Jesus said, “he that loseth his life for my sake
shall find it (Matt. 10:39). This life can be a bottomless pit,
or a place for joyful hopeful living.
Mamma
said to give freely to the Lord, save a little, and learn to
live on the rest. We had to abandon the saving part at times,
but made it on the other. Of course we have always been lucky.
If we die broke we will have used our blessings fully and how
much luckier can you get?
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