Guidepaths to Peace

Someone shared this with me this week. It really struck a chord in me. It is how I try to live my life, yet these days I wonder if I will ever again know true peace ... of mind, body and soul.

Be glad of life because it gives you the chance to work and to play and to look up at the stars;
to be satisfied with your possessions
but not content with yourself until you have made the best of them;
to despise nothing in the world except falsehood and meanness,
and to fear nothing except cowardice;
to be governed by your admirations rather than by your disgusts;
to covet nothing that is your neighbor’s
except his kindness of heart and gentleness of manners;
to think seldom of your enemies, often of your friends, and every day of Christ;
and to spend as much time as you can with body and spirit in God’s out of doors
-- these are little guidepaths to peace.

~ Henry van Dyke

I'm glad of my life and grateful for each day that I have survived the cancer that I had years ago.

I'm happy with what I have materialistically. Sure, I'd like to have a flat panel monitor and a few other things, lol, but I will get them when the time is right because I don't really NEED them.

I fear nothing ... well almost nothing. I don't like heights, lol, but that has never stopped me from doing what I want to do. I've gone to the top of a tower and climbed ladders. I won't let my fears control me.

I've always had enough courage to do what needed to be done, when it needed to be done. There is enough adventure in my heart that I'm willing to take great risks ... risks that have brought me to where I am today (something I'll never regret).

I don't really have any enemies, at least none that I know about. I hate no one ... hate takes too much energy that can be spent on something more enjoyable. I'm sure there are people who don't like me, but they don't really bother me. There are also a few online trolls that don't like me for one reason or another, but I ignore them ... they really have no bearing in my life whatsoever. I am just me and not everyone can like everyone.

I do think of our Lord every day and pray frequently. I also try to spend a bit of each day outside. I feed my critters and water my plants and just enjoy a moment basking in the sun.

Still, the peace my soul longs for seems just out of my reach ... and I know what it is missing.