Out Of The Forrest~~~My Path Is Starting To Clear!!

I have spent many hours recently at the Buddha Center in Second Life. It is a peaceful place that allows thoughts to flow freely and ideas to be nurtured in a way that clear outcomes can be envisioned. As many of you know I have had a lot of personal reflection to do over the past few months. Through personal reflection and quiet meditation I have reached the top of  a very steep road and can now see into the valley below.

I am not a particularly religious person. At least not when it comes to the 'organized religions' that I have been exposed to over the years. Although; I do consider myself to be a 'spiritualy person'. I find comfort in the teachings of individuals that show me peaceful paths of existence through the 'thought process'. God is within us all. We just need to find that 'comfort level' as to how we will worship, if you will.

I find my 'comfort level' in this 'man'. Yes kiddies I said MAN!! Buddha was a man; a teacher. He gave us things to think about. Showed us that what we may call God is all around us. In the trees, this mornings sunrise and last nights sunset. His teachings make us think for ourselves. No 'Cookbook Recipes' here because every ones path is so much different and that path is set by each individual in their own way and on their own time table.

“All that we are is the result of what we have thought. The mind is everything. What we think we become.”~Buddha I have presented this quote before. It is the single quote I try, and I say try because I am human and full of faults, to live my life. I have had periods of success and ones of dismal failure. But I keep trying and will never quit. One of my favorite quotes speaks to how I feel about never giving up. "I do not give up, I never give up, For there is nothing in this entire world, That is irrevocably unchangeable".~~Sri Chinmoy I have thought about this quote for many hours over the past few months. I truly believe that it applies to all aspects of life; from 'birth to death' and everything in between. After my disasters of this past summer I was at the give up point. Things all looked pretty bleak but I put up a plaque with the Sri Chinmoy quote, at my house, and spent countless hours staring at it, thinking about it and trying to set a path for myself. I ran across this quote while I was doing some reading. “An idea that is developed and put into action is more important than an idea that exists only as an idea.”~Buddha While thinking about what you want out of life is important; actually getting up off your ass and making it happen is the key. Happiness will not come knocking at your door unless you go out and find it and give it your address. So I did get up off my ass after a month of self loathing and self pity and stepped out into Second Life to find my path; my happiness. Happiness did come knocking at my door in the form of a fantastic woman, Friendly Story, who accepted all my faults, repaired the damage I had done to myself and asked only one thing of me. HONESTY AT ALL TIMES!! I told her about my life, my sins and my successes. I confessed all I had done. Friendly considered all I told her and then we spent two months building a relationship. A relationship that is built on honesty, sharing, companionship, passion, intimacy and finally a solid love. Last night my beautiful Friendly Story became Friendly Brando. Can you see me smile!!! So yes; my path is clearing and I do not walk it alone anymore. I am loved, I am protected and I am happy. The power of thought is amazing. The healing power of a good woman is, in and of itself, a religious experience that needs to be experienced to understand. “Thousands of candles can be lit from a single candle, and the life of the candle will not be shortened. Happiness never decreases by being shared.”~Buddha Love ya, Randy