Dear hearts,

In reflecting on the month of February, the “love month,” I’m considering some thoughts I shared in an earlier essay Fruit Boy from Morocco on love and belonging:

In this piece I offered an epiphany (at the risk of sounding cliched): “Love is all. Love is it.” At the end, I quoted philosopher David Wilcock’s final message in his book, Waking Up from the Dream: “Just be nice.” Not surprisingly, since posting the article, I’ve been repeatedly tested on putting into practice how to interpret and live those messages. I am a work in progress.

I keep finding that the proclamation “Love is all. Love is it,” is both simple and complex. How can we apply it moment to moment in everyday life when there are mounting bills, heartaches, betrayals, projections, illnesses, fears, doubts, and communication challenges in the tough and tiring business of living? Ah, but aren’t there plenty of little micro-miracles co-mingled along the way to fortify and support a positive outlook—like playing the part of the tickle monster on the playground with my grandkids? Those two represent the absolute essence of love in its purest and most potent form. Being with children connects you to that magic formula for life: Indeed, “Love is all. Love is it.”

How to Solve Some of Those “Insoluble Problems” Per Albert and Carl

The late, incredible pair, Albert Einstein, and Carl Gustav Jung, came up with some zinger quotes, which emerged while making their remarkable discoveries on quantum physics and human consciousness, respectively. We are indeed gifted to be the beneficiaries of their unparalleled wisdom and insights.

“You can’t solve a problem with the same level of thinking that created it.”—Albert Einstein

And Jung adds:

“All of the greatest and most important problems are fundamentally insoluble. They can never be solved but only outgrown… This “outgrowing” proved on further investigation to require a new level of consciousness. Some higher or wider interest appeared on the person’s horizon through this broadening of their outlook the insoluble problem lost its urgency. It was not solved logically in its own terms but faded when confronted with a new and stronger life urge.”

“Turn arrows into flowers.”—Pema Chodron, The Wisdom of No Escape

If we are committed to doing our part in helping humanity move into that “new level of consciousness,” don’t we need to keep ourselves in check at all times, recognizing our triggers and hotspots before we allow them to drown us in the abyss of defensiveness and victimhood? When I can avoid taking the bait from someone who shoots off a metaphorical arrow in my direction and realize that they must have been suffering when doing do, I can initiate the process of healing—for both of us. By sitting in the stew of my pain and letting it simmer even a nanosecond longer than I think I can, maybe I’ll be able to carve another notch in my noggin that will support me in being a more loving and compassionate human. After I’ve let things percolate for a bit, don’t I have a chance to see the beautiful pearl, smack dab in the middle of that slimy oyster? That archer brought me back to my simple conclusion, arrived at many times before: “Love is all. Love is it.”

And because that is so, I have to realize that If I fan the flame of their myopic bias (“You need to change to meet my needs”), I will end up resentful, which is anything but loving. On the other hand, if I don’t get all swept up in an effort to defend my actions (or non), or choose to avoid performing to please them, is it possible that I can then expand into and stabilize that “new level of consciousness” that Jung was talking about? Maybe in this state I can see that I’ve connected with another beautiful soul who has contributed to my commitment toward becoming a more conscious, loving human. Of course, with such an understanding, I will have gratitude for everything I learned by being in their presence—all of it, even the painful stuff.

In my latest book due out in the spring: A Handbook for Mastering the Science and Soul of Love, Happiness, Belonging, and Meaningful Coincidences. I emphasize and abbreviate some of the concepts outlined in my other two books, Happily Ever After…Right Now, and Self Belonging, while throwing in some new stuff, which I am very excited to share. The foundation of the material in all of my books is encapsulated in this quote from the Handbook:

“When you first find and cultivate your own strengths and learn to belong to yourself by being on your own side—while taking responsibility for any perceived errors and victories, you will be a loving lightning rod for others immersed in the middle of their own individual collective shadows and dark nights. Of course, part of the process involves your willingness to dive down into the depths of your unconscious cockles, while letting go of the past and any perceived wrongdoing by you or others. And each time you come up for air, you will recognize more and more frequently that not only do you deserve to live a life laced with love, joy, peace, and truth, but so does everyone else living and breathing on this magnificent planet of ours.”

How can we let that arrow support us in flowering into the fullness of who we really are? If we really look, can’t we see how anyone or anything who has posed as a nemesis in our lives is really a disguised angel? Isn’t it true that whoever or whatever we encounter, however briefly, has the potential to help us become a more conscious, compassionate human? We are here for such a short time. How can we use the time we have to “just be nice,” starting with directing kindness and caring to ourselves, and then choosing to hang out with others on the same trajectory?

The late, wise poet, Maya Angelo, once said, “When people show you who they are, believe them!” So, if someone in your world continues to behave like a rascal (even if you know they really aren’t one), why not believe ‘um that that’s their m/o for now? Oh ya, and here’s another bell-ringer from Maya: “When you point the finger at someone else, you are pointing three back at yourself.” Yikes. No point in tryin’ to corner someone else as the culprit, right? Instead, maybe time to take a long, hard look in the mirror. Just sayin’ (speaking as one with plenty of practice ).

Believing in you!

With so much love,

Luann, March 1, 2023