Sunrise Pages March

Welcome Brightness, Dear Universe!

Every day, Dear Creator, I move through the moments of time and space – things happen, and I experience, witness, and participate.  My life extends not only by the things that happen to me; but, through my own choices, by the way I show up, interact, and weave myself into my world.

It’s not just about everything being forced upon me in my life.  The false idea that stuff happens, and I have no control.

Sure, in some ways, it’s just stuff drifting on by down the river.  But, what I do – how I react, what energy I bring, what hope and intention I carry – that’s all me.

Well, at least partly me.

The purest existence we manifest is when we open fully to our Creative Spirit, which allows us to dance and play, without thought, with all the substance of The Universe.

We are amazing beings of Light and Energy.  How do we so easily forget that, or take it for granted?  Is it possible to maintain our awareness of the godstuff within us, when we’ve got to pick up groceries, take out the garbage, and get our taxes done?

I struggle with this, certainly.  But, I know the answer, for me, doesn’t come by trying to do even more, by heaping greater duties and expectations on myself.  By piling on the “Shoulds.”

The answer, simply, is Joy.  Joy is the word for everything we do, think, and experience that brings us back in touch with the godstuff within us.

Joy isn’t just when we connect with the Creator and the Universe.  Joy is when we reconnect with ourselves and light up the Creator and Universe that resides within us, always.

We treat it like a light switch, sometimes.  I remember my dad yelling at us for leaving a room and failing to turn off the lights.  Because, you know, we want to conserve energy.

We act like we need to conserve Joy.  Like we can’t dare waste it.

We build our daily to-do lists of “shoulds” – make breakfast, go to work, pick up clothes at the dry cleaners, make dinner, pay bills.

Then, at the bottom of the list, at the end of the day, we try to relax.  We try to shake off the stress of the day, from chasing our “shoulds.”  We may even feel the need to numb ourselves, to try and escape the stress – perhaps with doses of reality TV, alcohol, or chocolate ice cream.

On our minds are the “shoulds” we didn’t get to today, and the “shoulds” we’re already piling up for tomorrow, and next week, and next month.

So, who’s got time for Joy here?  Who’s got space?  And, why would we want to experience just a little Joy, crammed in some little nook of time, only to be swallowed up again by our stress and our “shoulds?”  That would just be heart-breaking.

Better off having no joy at all.

How does your body feel with that sentence?  Does that thought make your heart ache, like mine did when I just wrote it?

So, what’s an alternative?

Let’s keep the lights on.  The way to fill our lives with Joy is not to do everything else in our life and hope there’s some time and energy left over at the end to put toward Joy.

The key is to connect with Joy from the start, to remember and feel the godstuff within us, and to maintain that connection, as we journey through our moments, our days, and our lives.  To track Joy through the wilds of our duties and rituals.  And, when we lose her track, we slow down and backtrack until we can pick up the track again.  We need to stay readily aware that we are connecting to the godstuff within us.

This approach offers us the chance to be in Joy, and as we are within it, we can pick up the groceries, take out the garbage, and pay the taxes.

“Impossible!” you may be thinking.

I remember when I first got my license; I was so excited to drive that I would volunteer to run those kinds of errands – “We need milk?  I’ll go!”

And, when I’ve gotten new vehicles, I enjoyed opportunities to go out and explore, and the errands just happened to get done in the process.

The things that we do, even the “shoulds” from our lists, have an origin of joy or loving service to them.

Ask yourself why you do the things you do.  Not just once.  Repeat the question until you get to the nugget.

“Why do you pay taxes?”

“Because I have to.”

“Why?”

“Because otherwise I’ll go to jail.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s part of my civic duty.”

“Why?”

“Because it’s the social agreement of which I’m a part, that we pay into a system that provides for us all.”

“Why?”

“Because, I’m connected to everyone, and it’s a way I support them and myself.  It’s a way I express my loving-connection.”

Maybe taxes are a sore subject for you.  But, you could practice on why you make the bed, do the dishes, say thank you, or pick up your socks.  Somewhere, at the root of it, there’s an origin of joy or loving service.

And, if there’s anything you’re doing that doesn’t come from joy or loving service, I suggest you strongly consider dropping it.  Right away.  Because, otherwise, it’s likely poisoning you.

 

Today’s Prompt:

List three routine things you do, and play the “Why?” game, to find their origin stories.

 

Radiating the godstuff within!  Blessings, My Guides!