What are You Waiting For?

Recently I heard of a person who lived life according to her faith. She raised her children in her faith. Yet, in her eyes, each of her children have sinned and come short of the glory of God, so now she is waiting to go to heaven where everything is perfect.

Pema Chodren teaches that to hope is to think that life is lacking now.

Byron Katie teaches that everything is perfect as it is now.

Eckhart Tolle book The Power of Now teaches his take on time.  He says if you're waiting for something you are not present in this moment, and missing the beauty of this moment.

In order for me to be present I have a couple of my mantras:

"Everything happens FOR me not TO me,"

"The universe is a friendly place."  ~ Byron Katie Mitchell

When things go wrong even though I plan, I immediately go into the first mantra, and look for the good in the situation.   I become still and patient as I seek a remedy for the problem.  This is a practice I have been training myself over the years and it is working for me more each day.

Slow to anger has been key and as you know is taught in the KJV Bible but so many people know the verse but do not practice it.  I knew the verse all my life but I was angry.  How can you be slow to anger if you don't know how to rid yourself of it?  So I set out on a search to find a way. What I found is key to getting rid of any anger is clearing the mind of conflicting thoughts, these thoughts are full of fear and prevented me from seeing the truth.

Buddhism taught me that in every situation, what part did I play in its outcome?  If I can calm down, instead of keeping the anger at its worst in my mind,  I  begin to see the situation from the other person's point of view and when that comes into focus, I have compassion for that person. Compassion is followed by forgiveness and I'm free from my anger.

I'm not waiting for my heart to be healed, I found a way. I'm not waiting for someone to ask for forgiveness, I forgive them. I'm taking control of my mind.  I want to be present to enjoy every breath I take.  I want to be present to see the day and the sunshine in it.  I want to live.

A lesson I learned long ago, I control no one but me, therefore if others do things I would not do, I don't see them as imperfect, I see them as human like me.  We are one, we are human.

I'm not waiting for heaven because I believe heaven is here on earth now.  It is in your perspective. Why not love this life and every day in it?  What are you waiting for?