Month: November 2018

Grateful Heart Monday

It’s Grateful Heart Monday, and today I’m starting my week off by showing a little gratitude for the evening I had on this year’s Halloween.

There are two holidays I look forward to the most during any given year, one of course is Christmas, but the other is Halloween and that’s mostly because I grew up enjoying not just getting a big haul of chocolate, but also because I like haunted houses, scary things, and cool costumes. Ironically though, none of those things are what I am most grateful for this year, given that I didn’t wear any costume, nor eat any chocolate, nor visit any amazing haunted house.

Rather, I’m extremely thankful for this Halloween because we finally had one where it wasn’t utterly cold, downpouring, or exceptionally windy. You see, the weather here in Toledo, especially in my neighborhood that’s a mere hop, skip, and jump from Lake Erie can often be rather chaotic. Over the past four years, we’ve had very little trick-or-treaters, all because it wasn’t pleasant enough to even be outside for any length of time for anyone, which thankfully wasn’t the case this year.

Instead, the weather was a cool 50 degrees, yet no wind, and no rain, leaving a perfect evening to put my firepit out in the middle of my driveway so that I could enjoy not only my last bonfire of the season, but also to add more of that Halloween ambience for those going door to door to enjoy as well.

This year we entertained approximately 115 trick-or-treaters, which was frankly astounding. I got to see many cool costumes because of it and ultimately was able to appreciate a holiday that I do try to put some work into with my own decorating inside and outside my home, which many of those trick-or-treating complimented on.

I was also quite grateful when one of my neighbor’s kids came over with his wife and daughter and sat with us at our fire for a bit. I always thought they didn’t like me because they never said two words to me anytime I waved and said hi. So, that was a big blessing for me as well.

In addition to that, several of the parents out walking with their kids told me that my yard was the nicest in the neighborhood and that they always appreciated the hard work I put into it. That alone was well worth the many hours I spent heading into Halloween cutting it and cleaning up yard debris and leaves.

On a final note of gratitude, and honestly, the most important to me, I feel the need to mention that I prayed for weeks ahead of Halloween, asking God to help the trick-or-treaters this year in our area to have the perfect night of weather, given how bad it’s been in prior years. When we ended up actually getting good weather, I was able to not only feel some joy on an evening that I haven’t had much of in previous years, but also experienced some moments of peace as well, as I sat around the fire with my partner and felt a little more connected to God, something I haven’t felt much of in a good, long, while.

So, as Halloween has now come and gone for yet another year, I at least am filled with good memories and gratitude and a lot of thankfulness for my Higher Power…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

Thought For The Day

Quote #1

If you want to awaken all of humanity, then awaken all of yourself. If you want to eliminate the suffering in the world, then eliminate all that is dark and negative in yourself. Truly, the greatest gift you have to give is that of your own self-transformation.” (Lao Tzu)

Quote #2

“We are earth people on a spiritual journey to the stars. Our quest, our earth walk, is to look within, to know who we are, to see that we are connected to all things, that there is no separation, only in the mind.” (Lakota Seer)

Quote #3

“May we open our minds and our hearts while in this beautiful Era, this time of Spiritual awakening and embrace each other for our differences rather than our similarities.” (April Peerless)

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson

What Is The Point Of Life?

What is the point of life? Do you ever wonder that? Does life often seem to you that it’s an endless chase after things that never bring any long-lasting fulfillment?

Take those who are single. Many often feel so darn lonely and crave a relationship, only to be disappointed when they finally find one, yet still feel alone when all is said in done, only to eventually find themselves either single again or constantly day-dreaming that someone else is better out there for them.

How about those who are in jobs that often feel like what they do is pointless? That all it serves is getting them a paycheck. They’re sick of their bosses, their co-workers, the “system” there, or something else. So, they crave a position elsewhere and place all their energy in looking for one, only to ultimately find themselves in similar frustrations once they find it.

How about those who feel like their homes, their cars, their clothes, or any other possessions aren’t exactly what they need? They think a different home somewhere else or a newer car without any problems or nicer clothes that aren’t so worn out or outdated, or the latest electronic gadgets will end that craving, only to see that once they get it and the newness of it wears off, that the fulfillment is gone.

How about those who feel like some type of award or achievement will make their life become more meaningful? They strive so hard to achieve it, and when they do, it’s still not enough to fill the void, leaving them striving for even greater recognition.

How about those who feel that some type of change to their outer appearance is all that’s needed to be content? Changes such as a tattoo, a cosmetic surgery, or a product to reduce the appearance of aging. But, when any of which is completed, they find the desire for something else to change with their appearance arising.

And of course, how about those who seek greater income because they believe the income they have isn’t able to support the life they feel they need, yet even when they get greater income, their problems tend to multiply, often driving them even further on a quest for even greater income.

I have had plenty of experience with all these illusions. No matter what person, place, or thing I ever chased after, thinking it might bring lasting satisfaction, contentment and fill that emptiness I had within, once I got it, I still became empty again at some point. Sure, each brought me temporary happiness, but it ultimately always eventually evaporated, leaving me in the exact same place of longing for something else. When I found life in recovery from addiction, I thought that maybe finally there I would rise above this endless cycle of seeking fulfillment, as there I was told that helping other suffering individuals would remedy my lack of fulfillment in life. But, even with the many ways I’ve reached out to help others over the years, I have remained unfulfilled more than not, which has left me wondering.

What if life isn’t meant to be in any of the things we think we need to have or do that we end up seeking with such voraciousness? What if life is really meant to be exactly the way it is for us right now and that it’s only our ego that tries to make us believe it’s not? Can fulfillment truly be found by not chasing after the things our ego tells us will end our suffering?

It’s a hard question to ponder I know, but I have thus far in life never found any long-lasting fulfillment in any of the things I sought and obtained in this world. Contrary, the only time I’ve ever experienced any type of lasting fulfillment came from when I meditated on a retreat into a very deep state years ago. For many months after it, through repeated meditation, I found myself experiencing a level of peace and joy I never imagined I could in this life, even in the midst of suffering and my ego telling me what it thought I needed. Unfortunately, when life threw me a few curve balls, I allowed addiction to rule my life again, which brought back a stronger ego and a fall back into the illusion that some person, place, or thing would somehow bring that lasting fulfillment back. It never did, nor have I been able to find it through daily meditation either, which has led me in recent years to take a different approach.

Almost as if I’m doing a living meditation now, I’m sitting through all my sufferings, and doing my best not to listen to what my ego thinks I need to end it and bring fulfillment back. Instead, I’m waiting and observing, and channeling all my energy into remaining spiritually healthy as I do, which has precipitated some into telling me they think I’m living in insanity, doing the same thing over and over again, expecting a different result.

But maybe that’s the illusion right there, thinking that we have to change something to make our suffering less and our fulfillment greater. Maybe true fulfillment in life will only come when we finally stop trying to chase after something, when we stop giving into to all those endless cravings for the things our ego’s think we need, and instead sit through our sufferings. As maybe it’s in those moments when we do, we’ll meet our Maker the greatest and maybe then it’s also when we’ll experience a much more lasting fulfillment and possibly even learn a little more about the point to our lives…

Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson