A dear friend recently sent me this poem by James McCrae. It is quite appropriate for what we have been writing about, and you can find it on his website. I wanted to share it here because so much of it resonates with our philosophy.
The poem is called “Instructions Before Visiting Earth.”
Why This Poem by James McCrae Resonates
Of course, we believe that you volunteered for this journey, even when life may seem difficult. Just remember that the journey is relatively short, and when it is over, you will be left with the lessons you learned along the way.
Not Becoming Too Attached to Things
There is a Buddhist philosophy in the idea of not becoming too attached to things because everything eventually passes away. Nothing stays forever.
Enjoy life now because we have been born to die.
Deciding What You Want to Experience
In between birth and death, we get to decide what we want to experience. I especially like the idea of not making a mess. So many of us are clueless about what we are doing, and eventually everything we create will be covered in dust, forgotten, or destroyed.
Enjoying your body and what it can do is at the heart of making life worth living.
Kindness, Service, and the Stories You Tell
Being kind and considerate toward other people and toward Mother Earth adds meaning to your memories and helps the people around you.
Ultimately, the stories you tell about your life are what remain in your memory. Those stories can be either good or bad.
If you focus on service and promote love and peace, many of your stories will be about how you helped other people.
That is a pretty good legacy.
Consciousness Has to Be Earned
Consciousness has to be earned. It is only partially given to you. The rest comes from what you experience, what you learn, and how you choose to respond to life.
Look at David Hawkins’ Human Map of Consciousness, which is available in many places on the Internet. See where you believe you are and consider where you might go.
Starting Now Is a Good Time
There is often a long way to go.
But there is no reason to wait.
Starting now is a good time.
Enjoy the journey.
