To be or not to be

In a frenzy of exultation over the closing of this year's classes, I read book two of the Twilight series, New Moon, in a little over 5 hours. That's 400++ pages. Well alright, at the last quarter of it I got impatient and started skipping the longer narratives. I just wanted to find out how it ended!

The first half of the book had quiet an impact on me emotionally. I could really relate to the struggle of wanting something really bad and not having it; having to choose, and sometimes being left to make the hard decision of making the "right" choice, between staying and letting go.

And the hard part is, sometimes you never can tell if what you decide is the right choice at the precise moment when you made it. It takes a little walk into the future to know for certain if what we did is in fact right for that situation. We all have different perspectives and different ways of looking and reacting to what goes on around us. We forget that what could be reasonable to us may not be reasonable for others, or obvious. And this could mean the difference between doing good and making things worse.

Bah! Life is complicated enough without trying to second guess ourselves. I guess, this is where faith comes in... and integrity.



*******

I read the book, The Four Agreements, awhile back. It gave me strength to move on when I was in a very dark place. Now, you really have to read it in order to get the full essence of it. Like all knowledge, it should be tempered with self truth, and must be handled with care. Otherwise, it can be as dangerous as it can be helpful.

Being the pragmatic person that I am, I only remember the parts that are useful to me. And for you, here's the gist of it:

1. Be Impeccable With Your Word- Speak with integrity. Say only what you mean. Avoid using the word to speak against yourself or to gossip about others. Use the power of your word in the direction of truth and love.

2. Don't Take Anything Personally - Nothing others do is because of you. What others say and do is a projection of their own reality, their own dream. When you are immune to the opinions and actions of others, you won't be the victim of needless suffering.

3. Don't Make Assumptions - Find the courage to ask questions and to express what you really want. Communicate with others as clearly as you can to avoid misunderstandings, sadness and drama. With just this one agreement, you can completely transform your life.

4. Always Do Your Best - Your best is going to change from moment to moment; it will be different when you are healthy as opposed to sick. Under any circumstance, simply do your best, and you will avoid self-judgment, self-abuse and regret."

— don Miguel Ruiz



I find this to be a useful reminder, sometimes when i get too distracted with the "real" world.