Comparing

  “If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter, for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. (Ehrmann)”  How true!  If I compare specific aspects of myself with other people, like I used to do, I always come out on the bottom and not feeling good about myself.  That was the way I was raised but that practice did not work for me.  Someone pointed out yesterday that I no longer do that and I felt gratitude realizing he was right.  I focus on the fact that I am the best Charlie Horton I know, and leave it at that.

Anxiety

  Two days ago I did my weekly grocery shopping and was impressed by the exceptionally high level of anxiety floating around in the atmosphere of the stores.  Many of the people were on edge and that feeling was definitely part of the unseen reality I mentioned a couple of days ago.  I felt the need of shaking it off or clearing myself when I got home.  Today is inauguration day and the level of anxiety is even higher.  Fortunately I have been keeping up with my spiritual practices and self-care so I can feel peace and calm — when I focus on that and keep in mind that the anxiety is not mine.

Understandig Is Not Required

  It strikes me this morning that though I am aware of some surface activity going on in the world, I do not really know what is going on — and that is just fine.  I listen to NPR for a few minutes each day and I also read some of the “Washington Post” so I have some idea of current events, what I am calling surface activity.  I limit my exposure to these sources because I do not want to be convinced that is the whole story.  I also meditate for several hours each day in order that I might make contact with the “unseen” part of the atmosphere around and within me.  It is during meditation that I sense the love, strength, peace, anxiety and fear in the atmosphere.  That is part of my reality but I do not really understand it.