Category: Words To Live By

I write a lot about the topic of patience because I believe it’s one of the greatest lessons I’m meant to learn in life. Truthfully, I believe it’s also a lesson that many others struggle to learn as well. Unfortunately, the path to achieving this is never easy. Often, it’s filled with many stumbling blocks and challenges that test the very thing we’re trying to learn. Recently, I had one of these experiences and it definitely taught me another invaluable lesson in patience.

That lesson started early one morning as I left the house to attend a 12-Step recovery meeting. As I pulled out of the driveway and began heading down the street, I heard a “thump, thump, thump” over and over again on the right side of my car. At first I thought it might be the condition of the roads just causing the noise. But as it got louder, I decided it might be best to stop and have a closer look. After pulling to the side of the road, I walked around my vehicle and inspected each of my tires. That’s when I saw on the front passenger tire, a long screw sticking in it. I quickly pulled it out and breathed a sign of relief when I didn’t hear any hissing noise. I then headed on to my recovery meeting and soon forgot about the mishap. After the meeting was over though, I returned to my car only to notice my low tire pressure indicator had lit up. That immediately led me to the closest car repair shop around the corner to get it fixed. A few minutes later the clerk there told me that it would take around five hours of time because of how busy they were. Not wanting to wait that long, I promptly left and went to another repair shop a few miles from there.

They had a better prognosis and said they could have it fixed within no more than two and half hours of time. So I left it with them and jetted off to a coffee shop to do some step work with a sponsee. And sure enough, after almost that exact amount of time had passed, my car was ready to go. As I headed home from the repair shop, I noticed I needed fuel, so I decided to pull into a nearby gas station before I got onto the highway. Suddenly a loud “BOOM!” came from the same side of my car where the tire had just been repaired. I rapidly jumped out of my car and heard a loud hissing noise now escaping from the rear passenger tire.

I watched for a moment in sheer frustration as that tire began rapidly deflating. Hopping swiftly back into my car, I raced back to the store that had just finished their repair not more than ten minutes before. Two and half more hours and $140 later, I was back in my car and driving away from that repair shop for the second time that day. That’s when I noticed it ironically took a total of five hours to deal with my flat tires that day, even though I had gone to another car repair shop hoping to save some time.

So whether I wasn’t meant to be on the road during all those hours of the day or not, I don’t know. Some might say it was just dumb luck on what happened. My truth is that maybe if I had been more patient at that first repair shop, I might have been able to save myself some extra hassle and some money that day. Regardless, my Higher Power definitely taught me another invaluable lesson in patience that day.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

Every time I see any type of awards show such as the Oscars, my brain starts trying to idolize those famous people who are walking on those red carpets. As I watch the fans in the nearby stands scream and shout in ecstasy while getting star-struck, I find a part of the worldly me begins wanting to become famous as well. Usually, I’ll start asking myself why it is those actors and actresses can become so popular by just performing on some type of a stage. Recently though, I put a lot more thought to this and remembered a famous Shakespearean quote that says, “All the world’s a stage”. This got me wondering, what if everyone of us on this planet are all on some type of a bigger stage? One where our daily performances are being watched by others not of this plane, and one where we might be famous as well with our own built-in fan-base.

To buy into what I’m theorizing, I guess it goes to say that you will have to accept there is something more beyond this plane of existence. What I have come to believe in my own spiritual journey is that there is definitely an after-life. But what that after-life looks like, how you get there, and how long you stay in it, are all out of my own realm of knowledge. What I do know is that if there really is an after-life, it’s probably filled with countless souls. And if there are countless souls, then maybe each of them are watching our world like it’s a huge stage, just like we might, when watching something on a movie screen, a television set, or in some other type of theater.

While I really can’t say what exists after my life expires with any surety, is it really that far-fetched to believe that there is some type of beings watching us each and every day? Whether you may call them angels, archangels, or some other type of light-filled spirit, I find it hard to refute the possibility that they may watching our day to day performances as we walk through life.

Maybe they are crying when we when are having a pain filled day, just like we might be doing when watching a sad movie. Or maybe they are bursting out laughing when we’re having a silly day, just like we might be doing if we’re watching a comedy show. Or quite possibly, maybe they are feeling love when we are demonstrating that unconditionally towards someone else in this world, just like we might be feeling when seeing the same in a theater.

Whatever the truth is, I am inclined to believe these days that I already am famous with a huge fan-base that’s not of this world. While I might not be that well known currently, like many of those actors and actresses walking on the red carpets, I look forward to the day where I leave this plane and have my own special carpet to walk on. There I plan on meeting those who have been cheering me on each and every day, through all of the trials and tribulations I’m navigating through in life.

So the next time I find myself wishing I had fame like those I see on the red carpets, I plan on taking a moment, breathing, and remembering that “All the world’s a stage” and my daily performance is probably being watched by many others on another plane of existence. And that alone will make me feel pretty famous…

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson

Committed relationships are hard work. Some say it’s like having a full time job. And the truth is, they’re right. Both people must be open and willing to do the work that’s necessary to see their relationship grow. Unfortunately, too many of them often dissolve because one or both were more selfish than not towards each other. But for those that last for a great many years, one of the main reasons is due to the amount of selflessness that’s demonstrated by both partners within it. This is why my partner and I decided recently to add something to our daily routine with each other to help ensure our relationship’s growth and not demise. We call it “The Selfish And Selfless Exercise”.

We begin this exercise each night now before going to bed by sitting down, facing each other, and making complete eye contact. It’s then one of us will take the time to reflect upon where the other has been selfless in their actions during that day. We find it’s important to share those compliments first, as they don’t usually have the tendency to affect the ego in any negative way. Once that’s done, then the same person will share their constructive criticism about where the other has been selfish in their actions during that day. One ground rule we have during this round is that the person receiving the comments is to be silent and not provide any rebuttal or defense. Doing so would undermine the purpose of this whole exercise. Of course, when one of us is completely done sharing our reflection of the other’s selfless and selfish actions, the roles then reverse.

So far, this seems to be helping us immensely because it sheds lights upon the areas of our life that are spiritually growing and those that are not. My partner and I both know we still have many areas of selfishness to work through in various facets of our lives. But neither one of us has the desire to see our relationship fail, like so many others seem to be doing these days. That being said, we realize now that any of that selfishness needs to be removed or it will end up undermining our relationship’s growth potential. I’m so very grateful to my Higher Power today for having a partner who is open to doing an exercise like this each and every day. While it may prove to be challenging at times for each of our egos, we both agree how invaluable a tool it’s becoming to seeing our relationship grow.

So if you are in a relationship and have the tendency to think about yourself more than not, then know all you’re really doing is being selfish. And in the long run, all that’s going to do is end up destroying it. If you want to have a happy and long-lasting relationship, try utilizing “The Selfish And Selfless Exercise” that my partner and I do at the end of each day. Not only can it end up helping each of you grow in your own spiritual journeys in life, it can also bring a lot more love and light to your relationship. And that alone, can sustain it through anything.

Peace, love, light, and joy,

Andrew Arthur Dawson