Outside my window, I heard a familiar grunting and shrieking. The ground rustled with clumsy, hurried feet that scurried across the yard.
I pressed my nose to the window screen and saw two opossums excitedly chasing each other.
The warmth of Spring was bringing all the wild creatures back to life; raucous birds in the early morning, fevered opposums late in the night.
I thought about them before I fell asleep. I prayed they would be safe as they rolled around and bounded through the neighborhood.
I thought of the precious beings that wander around, dealing with cars and humans and other destructive elements.
Maybe it was always like this. Maybe in the true wild, creatures still face threats of stampedes and predators.
I imagined giant dinosaur feet stomping through the lands, with small creatures below learning how to weave out of their way or run to safety.
I wondered into the mind of spirit…
“What do you think about the safety of the opposums?”
My mind was taken into the idea of Life. Life everlasting.
To focus on Life itself, the continual opportunity for consciousness to spring forth into living being.
Spirit doesn’t look backwards; it does not fear. If a chapter begins to close, the eye of life steadily moves to the new beginning.
In the same way, the opposum lives its life to the fullest, until its chapter ends. And then, just as fast, its spirit looks towards the bright light of a new horizon, a new beginning.
A breath, a pause, a new breath.
And so, Spirit smiles. Its eyes always pointed towards life.
I asked Spirit about death, and it didn’t seem to care. Its invisible finger pointed my mind towards Life.
I said to Spirit, “But there are a lot of people here who care about death. People who dedicate their lives to the idea of others living or dying.”
People will dedicate their lives to many things.
They choose what to think, and what to believe. They’ll fight to defend those beliefs.
Their convictions will be worn plain about them. In the way they speak to others, how they react in traffic, where they spend their time and energy.
The gods are not prayed to inside of temples, and their offerings are not laid upon shrines.
The gods have no names, and their distinguishable features and attributes are almost infinite.
The gods are the ones prayed to in every thought, word, and action.
Repeated daily, hourly, moment-to-moment prayer in every thought.
What do you pray to?
What you pray to is the god that exists for you.
Every thought, word, and action an offering to a conjured diety of your own making.
So, in many ways, it’s best to focus on what you’re dedicated to. [Rather than focusing on what others are dedicated to.]
The gods of others are not your business. They exist in their own heart, they are fed by their own words and actions.
What do you feed? What has your heart?
Is it the god of “I don’t get paid enough?” Or the god of “Life is exhausting?”
Maybe you’re not sure. But if you look around at your life, you’ll notice the holy gods and the mischievous gods at work. The gods of fury and vengeance, and the gods of love and peace.
Notice yourself when you’re not noticing yourself. Notice yourself in your least holy moments.
What do you feed?
More pointedly, what do you dedicate yourself to?
It’s easy to change. Rather, it’s easy to give more offerings to causes that enliven your heart.
It’s easy to withdraw offerings to causes that dampen your spirit.
It’s just one small offering at a time.
A thought, a word, an action.
Do not worry about the gods of others.
Decide today to build a life of Truth and Awareness. See what you’ve been praying to, with eyes wide and willing.
And say, “Oh, I see.”
“Maybe today I’ll start praying to something different. Maybe today I’ll direct my eyes towards Life. Maybe today I’ll be intentional about where I lay my offerings.
And most definitely today, I will not judge myself or my life. I will observe with eyes of love. I will appreciate the variety that I’ve built around me.
Maybe today I’ll just be more aware of what I’m praying to. In my thoughts, words, and actions. One thought at a time. One word at a time.”
I imagine saying, ‘amen’, through out my day. Just to remember. Maybe after having a particularly fun interaction with someone, I could say, amen!
And after complaining and grumbling about a frustrating person, I could say…amen?
I’ll try to be more intentional, or at least more awake to myself.
Where do I leave my offerings? What gods do I pray to when I’m not noticing?
With Love,
Heba ❤
Love: 