This is an article I shared with you two years ago, and it seems like every year around this time we go through much of the same sort of life happenings…And yet from year to year we forget how we dealt with it.

We human beings need repetition in our lives, and so this is why I once again have chosen to share this with you…I hope its helped you in the past and I hope it helps you today.   

We have over the last year experienced much change, some good, some not so. Some of us have lost loved ones who have past and have moved on to be in a better place, but always in our hearts.  I am truly grateful for the friends and family I have, the love and compassion they share when needed and equally important, this way of life.

In large, it’s this way of life that helps and teaches me how to cope and grow with the always present road construction. What you thought the red road was free of road construction?

The road construction I speak of is not the type which is typical when using the phrase, rather it’s the pot holes, detours, and barricades of life, the things that seem to slow us up, and detour us from achievement and even cause an occasional traffic jam, the kind where life comes to a complete halt because we have exhausted lives cup.

Exhausting lives cup doesn’t necessarily mean the end of life, even though what were experiencing some times can make it seem so. The truth is we’ve just depleted our spiritual resources, emptied our cups. In your car there is a warning light that tells you you’re low on fuel, the same is true for us, only we don’t have the convenient flashing red warning light or annoying buzzer.

In our case its signs of physical or emotional fatigue, lack of motivation. If it’s emotional you’re probably physically depleted as well, nothing takes its toll more then emotional over load. We have become a dependant, lazy and over indulgent society, dependant on many things, things not even necessary to sustain a healthy existence, the warning light for instance, “Look at the gage, hello, how hard is that”?

This may seem harsh, but truth is sometimes blind and hard to except, blame is a much easier concept. How many of you have the worn, but always reliable pity bag lying around? I think we all do if we’re being honest with ourselves, maybe just not as worn as others.

I’m not too embarrassed to say I have one and its seen it’s better days, but what I’ve learned as I get ready to dive head first into it is, there are those who have plenty and those who have non, better off and worse off, and realize that I fall somewhere in the middle. Yes life could be better, but it could be a whole lot worse as well, just take a look around you.

I was sitting at a slot machine one time a couple years back and the machine was just teasing me, as it would almost hit I would say, “Dam that would have been “doing the math, and the person with me said,” rejoice in what is”. How true, and what a place to get a teaching, none the less, it has stuck with me and teasingly share it with others.

Imagine the concept of living in what is, not the past or the future, what isn’t or what could be, but one moment, one day at a time, live in the now because as we all know, tomorrow isn’t a guaranty.

This same person not too long ago told me in a conversation we were having that “past behavior is a good predictor of future behavior”.

Even though the conversation had nothing to do with me, I found myself later taking my own inventory. Again I found some truth and came to the realization that, if the same problem keeps arising we’re probably approaching the solution the same as we have in the past and will most likely repeat it with the same results if we don’t truly give it our best, seek guidance, help.

I believe we all have the knowledge and the ability to problem solve, what we lack sometimes is the ability to remove ourselves from the problem long enough to find the correct solution. Again this is why I’m grateful to be surrounded by a group of caring, nonjudgmental individuals whose words or actions sometimes without expectation are just what are needed.

Some of you may be thinking, this sounds like a thesis for psyche 101 or something, for which I need to mention, I hold no degree. It is however in its truest form, the thoughts of an observational opportunist, see a need, expose it and to the best of my ability serve it up as food for thought for all who might benefit from it. 

Over the past months I have seen in others and even in myself, fatigue, to the point of illness, depression, confusion and even fear. It’s a very hard balancing act sometimes to live life spiritually and suit up everyday in the emotional and physical armor required to enter the not so peace loving, out of balance world where we need to earn a living, I always say, “It’s a jungle out there.”

Why all the fatigue, are we trying to do too much?

Perhaps you haven’t noticed but, our world, our lives are changing on a constant basis, decisions we made yesterday might not hold true for today and the number of decisions being made has increased will continue to, unless we simplify.

If finding your way to a lodge requires more then a moments thought, or making quiet time for yourself is not as important as a trip to the mall or some other activity that doesn’t require a topping off of your cup, your low on fuel and it’s affected your ability to decide correctly.  

As human beings that’s what we do, run ourselves ragged, expending energy foolishly, picking up garbage that isn’t necessarily ours, worrying about worries that aren’t ours and even worrying about things that we can’t possibly change, the result is what it’s going to be. I know all too well that it’s doing good things in abundance that can leave us dangerously low in our cup.

Whenever I’m asked to give advice, “words of wisdom” some even say, I think, what makes you think I’m so wise?

The ability to help shed some light or offer words of wisdom as it’s been referred to is not a special gift, nor does it make me wise, the truth is, I spend time digging around in my spiritual tool box. If you’re an avid reader of this web page you are probably thinking, “Oh, I remember something you wrote before referring to “The spiritual tool box” now where did I put that damn thing?

Don’t worry you didn’t misplace it, it’s not physical, it’s stored forever in your hard drive, saved under, “life experiences.”

The most used tool in my Spiritual tool box is Faith- (trust; belief; belief without proof; promise; loyalty). Have faith not only in a higher power but trust and believe in yourself, promise to love and care for you and be loyal to your beliefs, without it your no help to yourself or others.

The second most used is Introspection, the ability to look within and do a self analysis.

This is a gift we get from the Bear people through the illusion of hibernation, going into ones den, feasting and learning from the many things we have ingested during the seasons ripe times.  

This is where the answers to some of your questions come from, looking inward and remembering the past and similar circumstances. I think back to my life and what has helped me in the past, and what has been counter productive as well.

I think we as human beings today have way too many choices, not so in the time of our ancestors, life was simple, in regards to choice only. You were hungry you hunted, you were cold you made fire, etc.

In short people heal up, limit the choices that allow for you to escape, not do what’s best for you, and take the easy way out. Find true purpose in your life rather then short term fulfillment through material gain.

Look inside this year and see what the creator would have you do rather then what you want to do… Your friends, your family, the world, and last but not least you need for you to be happy, healthy, purposeful and strong.

Leave judgment to the creator, and leave the road construction to the professionals and just try to avoid it. Oh, and keep an eye on that idiot light.

Peace

Dan