Life is funny. It offers beauty, perfection, wonder, growth, fulfillment, happiness, success, and love. Lots of other things too, like hardship, trials, lessons, doubts, bitterness, loss, lack, hatred, and fear.

I've understood for several years that what we receive from life truly is our choice. We receive what we give, we receive when we're in gratitude, we receive in resonance with the vibration of our thoughts and feelings. I've understood it, wrote about it, talked about it, and lived it occasionally. I've got plenty of proof that this simple worldview works. As we think, as we believe, as we feel, so we receive from life.

But, I've got a tendency to forget. I lose my sense of balance, of clarity, and things start to go in a less than perfect direction. I forget to be grateful and fear creeps in. I forget my deep faith and doubts find their way in. I wander from loving myself and others, allowing a foothold for bitterness and unforgiveness.

I have a sense that we all have these moments of weakness. I have a sense that none of us still living in this world have reached a state of constant perfection in our thoughts, our feelings, our faith, or our practice of love. And I have a sense that this is how life is meant to be in this existence we share.

So, back to the point. Life is funny. Life is ironic. But it's also simple. I've been in a place of discontentment for quite some time. I didn't realize it until this morning when I woke early, clear, and content. Why? Because last night I surrendered the fantasy life I was living in my head, allowing me to embrace the reality of my life as it is. A simple lesson I've learned before, I learn and accept again. We can only manifest our higher dreams if we first accept, embrace, and appreciate what we have here and now.

From a place of gratitude, love, and faith, clarity shines. With clarity and surrender (surrender of fantasy, of regret, of illusions of lack and loss), possibilities open. The universe provides in that place of openness. And the irony is that in this place of higher clarity, seeing and accepting life as it really is, I can see, finally, just how wonderful my life has been.

The dark night ends; the sun shines again. I welcome the night; I welcome the day; I welcome life.

Love and giggles,
Steve