Frames around a painting or photograph should complement, enhance, or intensify the effects of the work. At the very least, it shouldn’t detract from it. In fact, good framing is an art in and of itself.
So what, Mike? Glad you asked. It is damned hard to frame your own life when you have not come to truly know yourself, that deep personal identity that emerges when you awaken to the whispers of your heart. Why is it hard? Ego will frame things in a very self-centered, usually ugly way. We will think we are worthless, or we will put such a gaudy frame around our life that others will think we are arrogant assholes. Either way marks the work of ego: a drab, beaten up frame enclosing a life felt wasted or a flashy, shiny frame that takes away from the substance of life and announces what is inside the frame doesn’t really match up to it. Ego-frames don’t reflect the truth of who we are. And we can never get that right until we awaken to self, claim our true identity, and value ourself. When this happens, we see how all has worked to bring us to such a point. We realize, if we are living and walking in the fellowship of the heart, we made no mistakes. Life, our life, has been for a purpose leading to knowing Self and Life Purpose, one we co-create with Spirit for ourselves. And it is quite a fun journey doing that creating. Twists and turns abound, but so do assurances we are fulfilled and significant. One way to know that is if we feel peace and love in our purpose and the actions resulting from designing and living that purpose. I hope I have showed this in a meaningful, engaging way for readers in the following short excerpt of my work today in The Fellowship of the Heart. Eric Lafarnge, at the end of Chapter 4 comes to the point of self-awakening, and although he does not yet know where it will all lead, the attendant feelings of peace and love have already begun working in his soul. Here is the passage. The first quote is Eric’s heart speaking to him after an internal conversation. (By the way, you do understand, I hope, that I am sharing with you my writing journey, and I have no idea how these snippets I share with you will be revised. I think it’s part of the fun!) __________________________________________________________ “Good, Eric, because if it doesn’t end in love, it isn’t me, it isn’t us, it isn’t authentic.” Eric slowly finished the robust imperial stout he had ordered. As he pondered this conversation with his own heart, the peace continued. He thought of the love, too, and suddenly he wanted to get home to Anne. In some ways, I’ve been a real jerk. It was my ego; now, I understand, some at least. It would have been emotionally easier to just keep our distance. God, we were going separate ways. I have been resentful of her attitude. Instead of dealing with it, ego just let me off the hook by rationalizing her behavior as, what? Ruthless ambition? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter. I have been deeply resenting her. God, we are headed for divorce; the coldness has set in. That was ego, not me, not the real me. We are going to fix this. When he got home, he found Anne sleeping. He started to put the sandwich he had brought for her in the refrigerator, but then he realized he hadn’t ordered it out of love. He had done it to show how thoughtful he was and how self-centered he felt she had benn. He threw it away, cleaned up a few things, and hurried upstairs to just be close to her. However, after a quick shower, he opened his dresser drawer and spied the journal he had thrown in it a few days before. He decided he would quickly capture his experience. June 5, 2031 Weird night in a way, but a wonderful kind of weird. I’ve questioned my life for months, really longer than that, and now, tonight, sitting in Land’s End, I have this amazing, bizarre, almost illogical conversation with my own heart. How do I explain it? I don’t want to forget it. It was a separate part of me but the real, deepest, true me. And now I know I need to be doing something that gives me peace and helps me love now, in the present. Not live in the past hurts Anne and I have had and not hope for an easy future. I want to find something meaningful to do now. I have responsibility, but at least I feel differently toward my job. I feel some of the old passion again. Maybe I can help someone, some way, to receive justice. I’m enthusiastic as of tonight. I want so much to make things right with Anne. He closed the journal, tucked it back in the drawer, and slid into bed as delicately as he could so as not to disturb her. __________________________________________________________ If you haven’t read my articles, you have no idea how deeply I feel a personal knowledge of Heart that leads to realizing our true identity and nature is to me. I believe it is the Grand Unifying Theory of Humanity because it sets everything in right relation to us and us in right relation to everything. It means we have ways of dealing with the huge variety and vicissitudes of life as our personal truth meets personal truth of others, but destruction is not the end. Of course, this world will never see a blanket revolution of folks awakening to self. I simply offer it from the depths of my own heart for others to discover as I have discovered. When that happens, lives are framed in truth and the life, the stories of the individual, the personal truth and purpose and work of a person, jumps out at those who would view their life painting. The Heart-frame adds significance and blessing to not only the painting but also the viewers, those who interact with the painting. Ego-frames never do that. Like I said, love and peace, my friend.
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Questions to consider:How many times have you asked yourself or simply thought about the following questions?
Who am I, really? What is my truth? How do my actions reveal what I really feel and believe? What would I do with my life if I could do anything? What is my passion? Why am I here? How can I discover answers to any of these questions? If you have considered any of these questions, I hope that my experiences and writing will give you some guidance. Please read my blog and comment and share your thoughts. I would love to hear from you! Archives
December 2019
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