Category: Words To Live By

“…Then Don’t Say Anything At All.”

I grew up in a time when parents seemed to quote this saying to their children a lot. But the ironic thing with my parents was how they struggled quite often to practice it themselves. In fact, I grew up watching them do the exact opposite of that more than not, which ultimately led to me becoming just like them as time passed. It took a long time for me to realize this, but thankfully I finally did. I have to say I’m a lot healthier these days because of it and really have to give this wise adage much of the credit.

The sad truth for most people who regularly say not so nice things about anything or anyone is that they aren’t really that happy within themselves. Placing a negative focus on someone or something else is their way of making sure the focus is never on them. Because if the focus was on them, their fear is that everyone would see just how miserable they are in life.

That’s definitely the pattern my parents lived while I was growing up and it’s definitely the one I did as well for far too many years. I failed to grasp just how unhealthy this behavior was for both this world and myself. Constantly saying not so nice things did nothing but add more negativity to a planet already filled with so much negativity. And the more I did it, the more my health seemed to take a toll. My Higher Power tried to warn me of this before I became as unhealthy as I did, because there were numerous friends, therapists, and holistic practitioners along the way who constantly gave me reminders of this old axiom. It wasn’t until I became as sick as I did mind, body, and soul though before I made any serious attempts to change this.

Nowadays, I do my best to remain positive and upbeat, not only to support my own health and healing, but also to support that in the world too. Interestingly enough, I should mention that I’ve gotten a taste of my own medicine in recent weeks of how I used to be in life. There have been a number of people who have had not so nice things to say of me on Facebook, on my blog, or in the recovery rooms. Being on the recipient end of each of them hasn’t felt so good, not one bit. In fact, it’s felt pretty bad causing me at times to want to give up.

I’m grateful to say I haven’t given up and don’t plan to. And as much as my parents never fully kept to that old adage that says, “If you have nothing nice to say, then don’t say anything at all”, I really am doing my best these days to follow it intrinsically. I honestly believe I’m far healthier because of it and hopefully on some level, I’m also helping to make the world far healthier as well…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

Writing is probably my only creative outlet right now in life and it’s one I enjoy immensely, which is why I began this blog over two years ago now. Unfortunately, I’m coming to learn that not everyone is going to enjoy my passion and see the good I’m trying to generate through my words. In fact I had this happen just recently when someone left me comments both on Facebook and through email criticizing my site’s content and even going so far as to question my recovery and spirituality. Sadly, I allowed this person to really get to me for about 24 hours until I realized deep within, just how far off base they truly were from understanding the heart of my writing and even me.

I started this website with a tagline that says “A blog that looks for the spirituality in everything” and that’s precisely what I try to do in each and every entry. Many of my articles usually originate from areas of my life I find myself struggling in, like with this person who hasn’t seemed to like the content of the entries they’ve read. At first, I tried to convince them offline through email about the overall positivity I try to have in everything I write, as it was never my intended purpose to maintain a blog that would add any more negativity on this planet than it already has. Unfortunately, it became quite evident after two of their email responses that they weren’t going to be able to see that, no matter what I said. Needless to say, I wasn’t feeling very good about myself after their comments, because there’s still a part of me that continues to own what others say about me, even if it’s not true. Thankfully, a number of my friends and peers spoke with me after that and reminded me of how much my blog has helped them, others, and even myself.

I’m not sure why I keep on allowing some negative things others sometimes say of me to stick to me for a while, but I know I still do and it’s apparent I have more work to do on myself with this. Regardless, I don’t think it’s spiritually healthy to ever put down anyone’s passion in life, like this person did with my writing. To me this isn’t someone who has my best spiritual interests in life, hence the reason why I chose to remove them from it after this incident.

In the end, all of this clearly reminded me of my growing up years where I allowed so many of my attempts at being creative to be thwarted and negated by everyone around me. Today, I am doing my best to only allow those in my life that are going to uplift and support those attempts, instead of those trying to tear them down. Nevertheless, I honestly wish this person the best in life and feel no ill will towards them at all, not one bit. And I’m also grateful for all my friends who helped remind me of something that hopefully one day I won’t so easily forget.

Writing is definitely my deepest passion in life right now and one I continue to place my heart and soul in. I truly do my very best to look for the spiritualty in everything like I did with this incident and it’s my prayer that each of you may see that, as well as find my words to be positive and uplifting. You see that’s all I’ve ever intended for this blog from the very beginning, and hopefully one day this person will end up seeing that too…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

Many of us have boyfriends, girlfriends, partners, husbands, and wives in this world. But how often we forget what it was like in the beginning of our relationships, when we looked at them as the most priceless thing in the world. Back then didn’t most of us frequently tell our significant other how special they were? How easily that tends to change as time moves forward. I myself was quite guilty of this in every single one of my prior relationships, which is why I do my best nowadays to show my partner how unique and special he is on a daily basis. This is precisely why I’ve dedicated today’s entry to my partner Chris.

I know there has been ups and downs between us Chris over the past three years, like there always seems to be in any intimate relationship. Yet you have done such a magnificent job at navigating through them all, constantly taking a hard look at yourself and seeing where you can spiritually grow, as well as being patient upon me when I’ve been overly difficult to deal with.

I’m also so proud of you for the work you’ve done in your recovery, having achieved goals far beyond what you originally set for yourself. I’ve been amazed too by your dedication to getting your degree in Environmental Health and Safety. You have spent countless hours striving for an almost straight “A” average and will soon be graduating just over a month from now. Beyond that, you continue to excel in your job at First Solar, constantly going above and beyond the call of duty. I’m so happy that they have in turn given you the praise and recognition you more than deserve from your work there.

Back at home you’ve continued to support me through the many health issues I’ve been facing, never once criticizing me for not having a regularly paying job myself. You have no idea how much that’s meant to me, as it truly has been an act of unconditional love in itself and greatly reduced my stress level in life to help me heal.

Chris I want you to truly know how important your laughter and smile has been for me as well. It’s continued to uplift me time and time again, especially in those pain-filled moments when I’ve so needed it. You’ve also created and shared with me so beautifully your home, your heart, and your love overall. So I’m so grateful to my Higher Power for each of those things and for bringing you into my life. I wouldn’t be as far along on my spiritual quest to grow closer to God, if it wasn’t for you.

I love you Chris, maybe more than words could ever do me justice. Please know that, especially when I may fall short of telling you this at times. Because when I haven’t been living up to my greatest, highest good, when you’ve been on the verbal receiving end of some of my frustrations in life, my heart has weighted so heavily afterwards, on how I could treat you that way given all you’ve done for me since day one.

You really have spiritually grown so much Chris, probably more than you even know, and I want the whole world to know just how proud I am of you for that. Thank you for being such a huge part my life and thank You God for the gift of Chris, for to me, he’s truly priceless…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson