The first time I tried to read the Course in Miracles was in 1990. I was attending Unity Nashville, (then First Church Unity) and I decided to join the Sunday morning class. Of course I quickly bought the book and began reading. One of the passages I remember reading was about Love. The passage began with the following words: “Thought is the Cause experience is Effect. If you don’t like the effects in your life, you have to change the nature of thinking. Love in your mind produces love in your life. Fear in your mind produces fear in your life.”
The good thing was I actually already believed those words. I had experienced some extremely negative things in the late 80’s that had led me to an awesome therapist. She told me about a book - Happiness is a Choice and I very soon had become a believer in the power of my choices in feelings. Of course, I did not always find my new choices easy to make. I remember saying, what about those times that I just found myself in the middle of an unpleasant situation? (That was long before I really could grasp how I created those experiences for myself). But - I quickly learned and practiced tools that assisted me in making different choices that led me back to a place of peace. I felt really good about my progress until one day in class we began discussing the difference between what is real and what is an illusion. I read the following words found in CIM……
- Love is real. (It’s an eternal creation and nothing can destroy it.)
- Anything that isn’t love is an illusion.
- Remember this and you’ll be at peace.
Today I fast forward 20+ years realizing that I do have an easier time knowing that I know that I know. Love is what I am. Love is who we are. There is only love. But so many times during my life I “wake up” and find myself in a situation experiencing anything but love. You see we go to sleep around the truth of our being and create just the opposite. The opposite of love is fear…. Anger….blame….. etc. etc., and when I am experiencing those emotions – boy, do they seem real! But the part that seems to keep drawing me back is “Remember this and you’ll be at peace.” The older I get the more I know in a very deep place inside I desire peace – not just for me but for everyone I meet – and the more times than not – I have learned to choose peace – even when there is a place inside me that is screaming, “This sucks – and it is not peaceful – and I want to tell everyone about it!”
Join us on Sunday morning as I collaborate with Voices of Unity for “Love is the Answer because there is really only Love….. so living loving spirit……….can you just “Wrap Me in Your Arms of Love and Hold Me There Forever?”
Peace is the Way,
Rev. D