In my bedroom I have a small framed motto. I don’t know who said it or had it printed, I have no idea where it ever came from or who coined it and couldn’t find anything specific on this on the internet! It is only three lines and it simply says:
You do not have to struggle.
You do not have to fight.
You only have to KNOW.
When you reach that peaceful place of knowing you don’t have to attempt to tell everyone what you think, you don’t have to blow your own horn, you don’t have to really care what anyone else thinks or does. It is immaterial to you what anyone else thinks, says or does – because you KNOW who and where you are. You KNOW what is important in your life and what is really not worth a whit. With that type of knowledge nothing said or done can affect you. You are above all of that and centered within the Spirit of God.
Psalm 46 verse 10 says “Be still and know that I AM GOD.”
We realize God – or Infinite Intelligence – lives within us. When we meditate we quiet ourselves, go within to get in touch with the Infinite, and listen to hear what impressions we are brought. That is usually where we receive our best advice and counsel. If we know that, we also know that we aren’t perfect, we are learning every day.
Our Project in this lifetime is to learn from our errors and strive to be above repeating them. Our Project is to grow our own souls forward – not anyone else’s soul, only our own. We also realize we only have the right to change ourselves and we can do that whenever we realize we have been wrong or have done something we could have done better. We also realize we shouldn’t give advice unless asked for it and allow everyone else the same rights we have – that of making their own errors and learning from them at their own pace.
It can be difficult to watch close friends or relatives make decisions we know in the long run will be hurtful for them. It isn’t easy to allow a young child learning to walk to fall down. The child really isn’t hurt much more than stunned and will start again to toddle forward. The older person may experience heartache or financial setback – either situation is a learning opportunity for the person involved, whether a child or an adult.
You know the child will eventually get it right and soon after begin to run rather than walk. You really don’t know about the adults’ decision and how that will turn out. Unless specifically asked, it is NOT up to you to point out or advise anyone. You should recall when you were younger and someone, frequently a parent, attempted to tell you this or that for your supposed own good. Remember how incensed you were – because you thought you knew it all? If you are honest with yourself you can look back and see where someone with your best interests at heart was possibly more knowledgeable than you – but you did it your way and lived through it, didn’t you? And you can see in retrospect how things might have been different, or better, or even worse than they actually turned out.
Everyone has the right to make their own mistakes, just as you did. Everyone has the same project you do, learning their life lessons and making the best of it. Allow them that freedom. Yep, love them, yep, be there when they fail, yep, be the first to congratulate them and root for them when things turn out well. All of the above: but most importantly allow them the freedom to make choices of their own selection without attempting to tell them what is best for them. Give them the right to live their own life, learn from their choices and grow their project forward just as you have tried to grow your project forward.
Always remember: You do not have to struggle.
You do not have to fight.
You only have to know.
You do not have to fight.
You only have to know.
