Category: Daily Reflection

“The longest distance in the world is from the head to the heart…” (Unknown)

I have spent much of my life in my head, analyzing, debating, arguing, and trying to understand just about everything. While that may have helped me in the corporate world when I used to do software engineering work, it’s not helping me much anymore in life these days. In fact, I find it to be more of a hindrance now because all my deepest spiritual experiences have always come during those times where I was living in my heart and not in my head. I was given a strong reminder of that recently when I walked into a New Age shop and asked the owner, who’s also a casual friend of mine, if she felt the storm I’ve been going through for so long was going to end soon, or ever end for that matter. Her response was definitely not one I expected or hoped for. In fact, it was quite the opposite. She said I needed to remain in my heart and stop travelling back up into my head because as long as I keep on doing that, I won’t find that peace and serenity I’ve been seeking. At first I was a little irritated, but as I drove away from her store I realized she was right and it was then I began to shed some tears, which thankfully was another great reminder that I had returned to my heart.

I pray that I remain more in my heart than in my head and that any blockages that keep this from happening are removed from me for good.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

“We shall steer safely through every storm, so long as our heart is right, our intention fervent, our courage steadfast, and our trust fixed on God.” (St. Francis De Sales)

So often, when those storms come a rumbling in life, people have the tendency to run to something for ease and comfort, especially when those storms end up lasting for more than just a short period of time. Over the last several years, I have had one of those tumultuous storms going on myself and unfortunately, so far it hasn’t passed yet. But through it all, I’ve remained clean and sober from all of my former addictions and have not run to anything to take the pain away that this storm has constantly brought me. I believe there’s only one reason why I’ve been able to do this and that’s God. Why I do say this? Because every time I ever sought out ease and comfort in the past during any of those storms that came upon me, I never asked God to help guide me through them. Instead, I was always trying to shield myself as fast as possible from those storms, seeking quick relief, and doing everything I can to avoid the pain they brought me. Yet ironically, some of the greatest spiritual growth I’ve made in life has come through enduring this tumultuous storm for as long as I have. And the only thing I’m really doing differently now is asking God every day for the strength, guidance, and direction to make it through. Somehow it’s working and somehow I just know this storm will eventually pass, because they always do. Some pass quicker than others, but no matter what the length, the only way I know today to avoid seeking that quick ease and comfort while going through them is to ask God for help, of which I will continue to do until it ends, because it will.

I pray for the strength, guidance and direction to safely make it through this storm and I pray I continue to endure it rather than seek ways to avoid it, as I know I will spiritually grow in doing so, as much as I know the calming of it will eventually come.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

“The most simple things can bring the most happiness.” (Izabella Scorupco)

Why do so many of us often look so hard to find happiness in life when there are always the simplest of things around us that can bring us that very thing? For years I myself thought happiness could only come through having a lot of money and what it could afford me, until limitations with my health and finances led to me to seeing otherwise. Since then I’ve grown to appreciate a lot simpler things in life such as a chirping cricket visiting me while I sit outside, the tranquil sounds of a rain shower falling upon my house, the chorus of many birds talking in trees above me, the lapping of waves I hear on Lake Erie’s edge, the spinning of complicated webs by spiders around my garden, the vibrant colors of leaves as they begin to change in the fall, the wet dewdrops on the tips of my grass hanging out in the morning, the serene glow of the sun as it sets in the evening, or the translucence of a full moon in the sky sitting amongst all of those twinkling stars. I’ve grown to truly appreciate and find happiness in each of these simple things and so many more, and thankfully, it only took me being slowed down to finally wake up and realize that.

I pray I am fully open to experience all the happiness I’m meant to in life through even the simplest of things.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson