For those of you who have ever wondered or asked yourself this question, I share with you an experience I had asking this question.
“What is my life work?” I pondered. I didn’t have a clue; I turned to God for an answer. I tried to shake this question from my brain but it would not go away. I busied myself with farm tasks, counseling clients and spending time with my children but this sticky question hung on. I could not put it down or “shoo it away”. I wanted to know what God would have me do because I didn’t know.
I fasted, prayed and rolled this question over and over in my mind. I begged, pleaded, even groveled for an answer. I wanted to know because I felt so lost back then; I believed I was walking a pathless path to nowhere, with no vision or goals of anything meaningful or of value. Answers were withheld but I kept asking, even demanding to know and hopefully to hear and to understand what it was God would have me do. I needed God to give an answer that I might have purpose and direction.
Finally, one afternoon while immersed in this question, I heard a Voice that said, “Would you please stop asking this question. Everything you do and experience is your life-work. So it is with everyone.”
That answer jolted me. Waves of insight and understanding crashed my mind. I laughed. I even roared out-loud and slapped my knee. I knew. I stormed into the kitchen because I was starving and thirsty. I choked down some food and laughed some more. “How simple” came into my mind. I toasted the Voice who shared this with me.
© 2010 Lory Misel
The other day I was "shootin'-the-bull" with a couple of people at a local restaurant. They were talking about what was happening in the news. They asked me what I thought. I told them that I don't watch TV news, read newspapers or listen to the radio. They were aghast. "What?" one of them barked. "How do you know what is going on in the world?" "Well," I said. "I just go outside and look around." They shook their disbelieving heads as if they were sorry for me. I smiled and loved their facial expressions.
"Would you like to know why I don't listen to or read this stuff?" I asked. (This was really a rhetorical question. I used to tell my sons when they were growing up, "I have never let your lack of interest keep me from telling you what I want to tell you.") And so, I pushed on with my resturant friends.
"We don't have 'news' in America. We have sensationalism. It is purposefully made, consciously, strategically offered to make us afraid. We turn on television and/or radio and we are bombarded with the reports of violence, murders, rapes, wars, disasters, corruptions with democrats and republicans, our government and on and on. We sit there and allow this insidious drek to filter inside of our minds and thoughts. And without our awareness, we become afraid. We have 'numbed' ourselves to the levels of fear we are experiencing and maintaining by this insidious indoctrination." (By-the-way, this is why we eat, stuff ourselves as we watch TV and/or listen to the radio. This "eat" dynamic is a very primal way in which we are attempting to nurture ourselves to side-step or comfort the fears we are experiencing because of what we are watching and/or hearing.)
"I am sure you are begging for an answer to the question, 'Why would our pristine media moguls wish us to be afraid?' Well, sports fans, it is really quite simple if you think about it. There we sit, being made afraid and then "Bam"! We are offered commercials of all of this shiney, beautiful, necessary, youth-enhancing, techno-necessary, life-enhancing and worldly exciting stuff we need to buy. The dynamic of 'getting/buying' is salvation from the fear they have just made you experience.' First, they make us afraid and then they set us up to buy products because of the fear they have consciously led us into."
"The same is true with 'hate radio'. These announcers spew out vile ideas to make us angry. You see, anger is not really a primary emotion. It arises from fear and guilt but never-the-less, what they condition us to feel sets us up to buy their products."
"The way I see it is 'garbage - in, garbage - out'. If I allow this fear/anger garbage into my mind, then it has to come out; out in what I feel and out in how I begin to see the world. How can I have peace and happiness if I feed myself upon fear, anger and guilt?"
"This is why I don't watch television or listen to the radio."
My resturant friends looked dazed and didn't say much. I sensed they had to leave to go home and watch the news. I didn't mind because I planned to watch Everybody Loves Raymond because this program makes me smile.
© 2010 Lory Misel
Photo:
Winter Evening at the Farm
Recently, I have been receiving numerous inquiries about Spirit Families. I am heartened that so many have shown an interest because a Spirit Family can truly be one of the many ways to help you on your spiritual path.
I have begun writing a book about Spirit Familes and the different types of Spirit Families.
I'll keep you posted as to how these writings are coming along.
I have my own Spirit Family that meets once a week and I asked them if they could write something for me to share with others that would help them to know what a Spirit Family means to them. Here is what one person has shared about her experience:
"Being part of the spirit group with Lory is something I almost can't put words too. What does it mean to interact with people in this way?...well, it's liberating.
This is a safe zone where discussion about what some might consider implausible happenings and experiences is uncensored and embraced. No one doubts the validity of what happens in these individuals lives aand the sharing of these experiences enriches all who participate. Intriguingly, though no discussions are necessarily planned, "the spirit' moves through and in us in such a way, that often times much of what each individual comes to discuss ends up connecting directly with what another has said or will say. Without subcribing to a particular faith, we bless each other by participating. In a quietly profound way, you come to realize that your perspective on life is changing by being a part of this kind of group.
To say more, might limit the individual impact and experience. So I will leave it at that."
Gay Santerre
© 2010 Lory Misel
