Touched by the Divine

It isn't the amount of our years that will determine the life we live now, but the amount of our love. Marianne Williamson, The Age of Miracles

Yesterday I wrote a blog that had several metaphors mixed up from the cocktail of thoughts whirling inside my head. I knew when I wrote it that I was on several different tangents, but posted it anyway as I didn't have the time to go back and re-work the piece and I didn't want to lose the thoughts that had inspired my thinking in the moment.

A reader wrote in to point out the possibilities of the piece if I were to straighten out the metaphors and another wrote in to tell me how she appreciated the muddled metaphors. All readers add value to my blog by sharing their thoughts and supporting me in my writer's journey.

It isn't about their feedback. It's about the love in my heart when I listen to their words.

I am always grateful for readers comments. Always grateful for feedback. Sometimes, I may not like the feedback I get. Not just here in my blog, but out there, in the world where I live my life every day. Feedback abounds and sometimes, I resist making room for what others have to say! Often, when I'm resisting it's my ego taking action, or, as I recently heard it described, it's me and my E-G-O -- Edging Out God.

Other people's thoughts and ideas come from the same fount of creativity as mine. It is the Divine essence of who we are distilled into the actions we take in the world, the echos we create as we move through our day emitting love, joy -- and sometimes emotions we'd rather not share! For me, my writing and my creativity is God's breath whispering through my thoughts. Spilling out through my fingers onto the keyboard shaping syllables and letters into words and phrases that speak the truth within my heart, resonating in the world around me. When I 'edge out' other people's words and ideas, I am edging out God.

Now, I'm not suggesting I have to make room within me for all the thoughts and words I hear. My brain is busy enough! But, it is my responsibility to acknowledge there is all the room in the world for other people's points of view, for other people's words to have value, to create meaning. When I can gracefully and lovingly make room for their words and ideas, we are touched by the Divine so that we can each, as my friend Kathleen describes it, 'take God's breath away.'

To live my life in harmony and joy, I must be open to giving space for other's to have their own unique perspectives, their own special views of the world around them. Regardless of the feedback coming my way, regardless of the voices or the activity swirling around me, when I view the world through a heart full of love, open to giving and receiving, my EGO doesn't give rise to angst. My ego doesn't have room to disturb my peace of mind.

My peace of mind is measured by the love within me, not by what's happening in the world around me.

The question is: Are you filling your heart with love to quiet your ego? Are you willing to take God's breath away today?