"The Year 2008 In Review: The Lessons We Should Have Learned!"

"We may forget with whom we laughed, but not with whom we shared tears."

Tansanian proverb

So begins my very sober New Year's Day 2009!

I dedicate this blog to all the people, to all my many friends, with whom I shared tears last year and especially those who responded. I also dedicate this to those who showed me the stuff of which they are truly made, especially those I had held close to my heart through most of my life. This includes family members and friends.

In 2003, I chronicled "Portrait of a Life: On the Road to Becoming." The first lines in the book were: "Life is a series of Lessons. That's all. No matter what we do or become in life, no matter how many triumphs or failures we experience, life is about the learning and uncovering of our true selves and about...just becoming."

At that time, I thought I'd learned most of life's serious lessons, though I knew I still was becoming what I needed to become.

Well, in 2008, I became ALL that I had set out to become: I became compassionate, loving, forgiving, caring, feeling, and truly ONE with the source of my being. I fully blame Michael Beckwith, Spiritual Leader of Agape, for all this. That's because the three days prior to bringing in 2008, Michael had led about 300 of us in meditation and celebration of our Spirit. We'd attended a "Meditation Retreat" in Rancho Palo Verde, California. The hours leading up to the New Year, we all were fully pumped to begin 2008 with a renewed outlook and Spirit.

Well I did that and more!

The year 2008 will go down in my life as The YEAR I finally grew UP!

With Spirit as my guide, I saw my life unfold in a way that was ALIEN to me.

I seemingly had absolutely NO control of the events that unfolded. I simply, day by day, responded to the "happenings" of that day.

I saw "Golden" opportunities for which I was perfectly suited slip through my fingers, not because of anything I'd done or failed to do, but simply because that is the way life is sometimes...seemingly unfair!

Why was my life partner SILENT? Why was my life partner NOT stepping in!?

He wanted me to learn the TRUTH about me!
He wanted me to learn the TRUTH about LIFE!
He wanted me to learn the TRUTH about people, places and "things," especially THINGS!

Yes, day by day, God would wake up with me at the crack of dawn and he helped me plan my day. We would do what we had to do and throughout the day, whenever I'd checked in with him, I KNEW he was still there. But as challenges mounted with the growing days, knowing he was still PRESENT with me, I asked him: "How Can YOU...BE SO BLIND? DON'T YOU SEE WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH?"

Sometimes, I'd hear his faint whisper, "Yes. I see what youre GROWING THROUGH!"

I could not believe this was my God! So seemingly cold, so unfeeling, so DETACHED!

My soul ACHED. Yet I felt his arms! Those were the moments I felt truly protected...the times when my soul ached the most!

I did not think I could go on as month after month the challenges grew...my old confident self fading with each passing day.

What WILL become of ME, I wondered?

I heard him ...

smile.

I felt him...SMILE.

If I could ...I would have struck back.

But...

I needed him...even more.

We grew closer, oh so much closer, as my old faded garments fell away.

I woke up today to a brand NEW YEAR...a brand NEW DAY...a brand NEW SELF.

Nothing has changed on the outer. But EVERYTHING has changed in the INNER, if you could SEE AND KNOW what I KNOW!

I know the Life lessons that I learned in 2008...God could have found no other way to teach me.

It is about living modestly throughout the most properous times.
It is about looking around ALWAYS to see the least among you who needs help.
It is about feeling LOVE despite your disappointments, anger and pain.
It is about feeling compassion, when you're rather not SEE!
It is about standing up and believing in something, mostly your FAMILY AND FRIENDS!
It is about living with your simplicity and TRUTH, even when the world wants you to live with EXCESS!
It is about knowing the God of the Universe, but letting your God Self be the master!
It is about honoring ALL the gifts you have been given!
It is about being GRATEFUL for all that you have, not about what you lack!
It is ALL about being HUMAN and SPIRITUAL AND REAL!

There were people who stood up for me when they had ABSOLUTELY NO REASON TO DO SO, other than they were Human and Spiritual and REAL!

These are the people God wanted me to KNOW about, those with whom I'd shared my tears.

Yes. I will remember those with whom I laughed, too.

But with 2008 as my guide, God knows, I can NEVER, EVER GO BACK!

By sharing my story, my prayer for all of you is that God does not have to BREAK you so badly in order to MAKE YOU...so Human...so Spiritual...so REAL!

The best gift you can give to yourself...and to God...is to listen to his Spirit, seek his guidance, even BEFORE you have the need!

The year 2008: The worst of times. The best of times!

Namaste',

Che'