I love this statement because it leaves no room for hedging your bets. It’s a truth that simply is. No one who passes before you does so in a meaningless way. Each person is a blessing. Pure and simple. And we don’t have to believe this for it to be true. That’s the best part!
A great exercise for anyone of us is to take an inventory of all those people we have encountered in the last week. Try to list them all first. Some of course are family members. Some are colleagues at work. Strangers are no doubt the biggest category but try to recall them any way. Perhaps it would be easiest if you did this exercise taking one day at a time so no one is forgotten.
After listing all those people you remember, write next to each person’s name the blessing that immediately comes to mind from encountering him or her. Some people may take a bit longer than others. I can promise you, however, that every person who wandered across your path came “carrying a gift,” a gift that in every instance will bless you myriad times, if not now, later.
What I hope you discover while working on this exercise is that blessings often come disguised, and when that’s the case, having chosen to accept that every encounter is a Holy encounter will be life-serving. What I am driving at when I say blessings may be disguised is the truth that not every person or experience feels all that good when first encountered. Quite often we need some time to digest the experience initiated by the encounter. And quite often we might say, at first glance, that a particular encounter was far from a blessing. But the truth, none the less, is that EVERY SINGLE ENCOUNTER IS AND ALWAYS WILL BE MEANT FOR OUR GOOD. THERE IS A LESSON INHERENT IN EACH ENCOUNTER. Period!
I didn’t come to cherish this belief without some resistance of my own. The abuse I experienced as a young girl just didn’t seem like a blessing. How could it? And yet, after reading Caroline Myss’ book, Sacred Contracts, I was willing to reconsider my entire belief system. If you aren’t familiar with her work, she is a spiritual intuitive, internationally recognized for her theories. It’s her supposition that every person we experience in this life we met as a soul before “waking up here.” And in that meeting, we agreed to the experience we would have. And each experience served the purpose of both teaching us and blessing us. My life was changed immeasurably as the result of Myss’ work.
Just knowing that whomever I ever met and whomever I have yet to meet has been agreed to because of the ultimate blessing it will bring is such a lovely idea to treasure. Wouldn’t you agree?
Angel
I was talking to my mom on the phone this morning. I was listening and thinking what is this experience trying to teach me? I had a experience over the holiday in my home. One of my beloved family members is in the throes of addiction. I lost myself in trying to change them, but not like I used to. I used to fight with whoever I wanted to change. Now I go to meetings, contact my Alanon family, work a step etc. Every meeting I hit I was led back to step 11. When my family member acted out, I lost contact with God. God was still there, but I stopped communication. I thought once again I could change them. It’s weird this morning and over the past twenty four hours, I have been able to see the ego is actually like a different person inside me. It wants what it wants. It does not care how it gets it. My true self is quiet, understanding, it waits before speaking, it is humble it understands addiction, as it has seen that my ego has its own addictions. It’s very weird to say and I shared it at a meeting. It’s almost like there are two angels ,the ego and the true self. I would love to get rid of the ego, the moments of peace and serenity such as yesterday are priceless to me, I feel since I have been in the program, I want less material stuff. I feel I am happy with what I have. I am so blessed by your teachings Karen 🙂 Thankyou for sharing yourself here.