Mid-week Inspiration,

I, like many of you, have often been my greatest critic.  I have found my own self judgment stealing my joy and leaving me empty after wonderful accomplishments big and small.  With every project I have done my self condemning voice sought to leave me wondering at my own competence.

I one time carved a walking stick; it was the first time I seriously put my mind to woodcarving. I spent a month carving this one stick as I traveled up the west coast. I would look at it, I would see something in it and I would slowly whittle away everything that interfered with that picture. Every day for a month I would take time to work on it. The rest of the day I carried it around, hiking, hitch-hiking and visiting. It never left my side.

Finally, after two full months and maybe more I felt I had done all I could do to it, there was nothing left to remove. It was finished.

I looked at it; and I didn't like it! All the flaws, the imperfections, all of it jumped out at me.  It just wasn't very good. So I stuck it away in a closet where I wouldn't have to look at it.

A couple months later I pulled it out to show a friend, a carver, just too prove my point; that I wasn't a carver. We were astounded at the quality. Since then I have shown it to many people, always receiving the same praise, "Wow, it seems so alive."

I keep that walking stick close by as a continuing reminder to see my work and myself from a gentler, more loving perspective.

It is so easy to be critical of ourselves and of others, much easier it seems than being appreciative and supportive. We all have a chorus of voices within; parents, siblings, teachers, mentors and friends.  All forever adding their silent and critical judgments of the things we do.

The truth is that God never cared whether our finished products were a display of perfection.  All It ever cared for was that we continue to move our actions into alignment with our intentions of goodness, of awareness and of loving appreciation.  When we do this we are in alignment with the very Law of Creation and it supports us. 

It supports us with joy and health, with positive outcomes to our ventures and with a measure of prosperity unaccustomed.  By knowing and acknowledging our good intentions and those of the people around us we start to open the door to the happiness that has ever been waiting only for our acceptance. 

May you accept your good today.

In Love and Light,