Instructions for Life

Today I was cleaning my house and the following information on how to best take advantage of our human experience came to me. Perhaps you can consider applying them to your own life.
They are amazingly simple, yet extremely complex:

1. Forgive Others/Self
   
2. Forget
3. Love
4. Peace
5. Heaven

The period between phases 2 and 3 can be quite long, sometimes taking a lifetime or lifetimes to overcome. One of the reasons I feel this way is because our ego mind has to make everything and everyone fit into a category. Something has to be black or white; or someone has to be right or wrong. This dualistic way of thought creates many problems in our lives preventing us from reaching steps to true peace and beyond. More later.
I'll end today with this quote, from a 17th century poet:

George Herbert

He that cannot forgive others, breaks the bridge over which
he himself must pass if he would ever reach heaven;
for everyone has need to be forgiven.

The Lover's Shopping List

When you go to the store,
please don’t forget to pick up
some things for the one you love.

Intimacy is high on my list,
but it is also high on the shelf
and on one of those less frequented
isles with the canning
goods and boxes of barley.
You have to work to find it.

Forgiveness is a staple you
can’t do without. But is has
to be the pure stuff, the most
sincere form of forgiveness
the store has to offer.

Lightheartedness is always
good to have on hand, it
helps ease those tense moments
and turn them into laughter.
Better get a dozen of these.

Goodness and Love are a
combination that are marketed
in several ways, but the most
heartfelt kind begins with
our Creator who is goodness
and love, so you have to buy
this a special store.
(I hope you don’t mind making the
extra stop)

valerie grimes
9/20/98