| Being a Light in the Midst of Darkness | | | | and will continue to create feelings of sadness, |
| What do you want for your life, and what do you | | | | incompleteness and despair; but as we continue to |
| want for the lives of your children? Universally, | | | | choose love, that light expands and grows into a |
| the answer is the same: "happiness." Finding and | | | | bright bonfire of joy and happiness within. |
| expanding happiness is part of our Divine purpose | | | | Although it may not always be easy to show love |
| as a human being. The brighter and more loving | | | | and gratitude in our daily lives, when we do, there |
| we are, the more God can experience and share | | | | is always a beautiful ripple effect that occurs |
| our life with us. This is why we seek it out, and | | | | from it, whether we visually see it at that time or |
| wish to expand and maintain it when we find it. | | | | not. As an additional bonus, our spirit knows we |
| This goes well beyond the comfort we may feel | | | | are doing what we came here to do, and as this |
| from any material things we own, and can be | | | | inner happiness expands we feel more |
| expressed and received in many ways. There are | | | | comfortable, peaceful and confident. And since our |
| things we can do everyday to attain and maintain | | | | spirit resides within our physical body, besides the |
| this deeper feeling of joy. And love and gratitude | | | | spiritual and emotional benefits we receive, there |
| are crucial parts to sustaining it. | | | | are very tangible health benefits as well. |
| For one thing, remember that you are not alone | | | | In the very first photo of Dr. Emoto's famous |
| in your desire to be happy and that most | | | | book "The Hidden Messages in Water" a beautiful |
| everyone desires the same thing, even though | | | | ice crystal is shown, with more facets than any |
| you may not be outwardly seeing it. For example, | | | | jeweler could ever cut. This was the result of |
| although acts of love and gratitude occur millions | | | | wrapping the two words Love and Gratitude |
| of time every moment throughout the world, | | | | around a bottle of water, freezing a sample of it, |
| these are not the ones that gain the attention of | | | | then photographing a slice of the result. "This |
| the media. A rare segment at the end of a | | | | crystal is as perfect as can be. This indicates that |
| newscast or the back of a newspaper may | | | | love and gratitude are fundamental to the |
| mention an act of heroism, but in reality they are | | | | phenomenon of life in all of nature." This is a |
| not rare at all. Huge difficulties are being | | | | repeatable scientific result of positive physical |
| successfully surmounted everyday, by people | | | | changes that occur when love and gratitude is |
| who choose to follow-through on the choice of | | | | expressed. It changes things around us, it |
| love. Take the time to look for these stories, | | | | balances and purifies; and the water is just one |
| they can be found everywhere; on the Internet, | | | | sample of it, which is part and particle to about |
| magazines, by word of mouth. Perhaps even | | | | 70% of our bodies, and the same ratio of ocean |
| keep an archive so that you can be reminded of | | | | to land on the earth. This is also a good reminder |
| the love in the world and that the over-all heart | | | | to say a prayer or blessing of thanks over our |
| of mankind is good, although many of these | | | | food and water before we eat it. Isn't it |
| expressions of love and gratitude are often | | | | interesting to see the bigger picture of why |
| hidden from the world. | | | | mankind in so many cultures and lands have felt |
| We hold a door open and a stranger says "thank | | | | compelled to do this for thousands of years? |
| you" and we smile. We send a card or an email | | | | That spirit within us knows and compels us, |
| showing our gratitude for another and we make | | | | although analytically we may not know the |
| their heart glad. In that universal expression of | | | | science behind it until later. "We love because he |
| happiness, the smile shows the love we are | | | | first loved us." (John 4:19) Love truly transforms |
| feeling in our heart, indeed, in our soul. Do you feel | | | | and changes things! |
| the satisfaction and warmth inside? That is the | | | | Choosing to take the extra steps to show love |
| knowing that you are doing what you should be | | | | and gratitude in what only looks to be an |
| doing. You are feeling that God-connection you | | | | unthankful world is a main key to attaining joy. |
| were created with, the spark of light flickering | | | | And although there are different holidays which |
| within. "God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in | | | | can be good reminders to express this, daily |
| God, and God in him." (1 John 4:16) How many | | | | transformations will occur when we do this on a |
| times in your own life have you taken that extra | | | | regular basis. Keeping a journal or archive of |
| step, or been thankful to another for the step | | | | positive stories reminds and encourages us to be |
| they have taken? We may not have ran into a | | | | an expression of love ourselves and that the |
| burning building or been pulled from one, but how | | | | over-all heart of mankind is good. Directing our |
| many struggles felt like we were doing exactly | | | | thoughts on what we have, not on what we do |
| that? Even by giving or receiving a hug or word | | | | not, refocuses our priorities in a positive way. Our |
| of encouragement, very real fires can be put out | | | | choosing of love over fear continues the |
| and lives can change for the better, if the choice | | | | awareness, brightening and expanding of our true |
| of that opportunity is taken. And it is a choice, a | | | | Divine nature. This includes being consistent in |
| personal one that can be made several times a | | | | offering blessings for what we receive and give, |
| day. | | | | including our food and water. Expressing love and |
| In reality, our happiness depends on making only | | | | gratitude satisfies our deep sense of purpose, |
| two choices in life: love or fear. The choice of | | | | which transforms not only our environment, but |
| love will always move us forward, whereas fear | | | | our spiritual, emotional and physical health as well. |
| stagnates and freezes us. This is also why we | | | | So no matter what is perceived outwardly, true |
| can look at any place of immobilization in our life | | | | happiness can be sustained by the personal choice |
| and know better choices can be made there. We | | | | of love, and with that we can choose to be |
| are created as sparks off the Divine flame. So | | | | grateful every day, which in itself is something of |
| fear and stagnation is not in our comfort zone | | | | which we can be truly thankful. |