other gods

There was a new freedom this morning in my heart. It turns out that I had submitted to fate, man-made systems, superficial circumstance and a debt mentality. They had become gods. I now see new meaning to the commandment "You shall have no other gods before me" (because it's they are bad for your mental health).

For me, getting rid of them that subjected me to their haunting and caused me to bow in submission (at least mentally and emotionally), I suddenly see clearly what's really in front of me and the road ahead. The fog is finally gone.

Commands can be freeing if they are true.

Stateless

I found myself thinking about where I've been like looking under the scab of a wound. Drama can do that. It leaves psychological scares that make us think about leaving behind a condition that was self defined in the first place. The trauma they caused was too deep to forget and they remain to haunt us even when the condition that sparked all the fuss has long passed.

Death, decease, fights, break ups, firings, arrests, terror... just to name a few.

In the middle of the recovery, it's hard not to. But like any wound, healing does occur and there comes a time to move on and leave the state of trauma. It's easy to think we left something horrible and into peaceful territory like leaving the cinema after a suspense movie.

Life is not about moving from predefined states. Although they help society organize life in a orderly way and perhaps helps us understand ourselves superficially. But look a little deeper and life is much more mysterious and potentially rewarding.

Pleasure exists in nice surprises, good feelings and peace. All these things are unpredictable. Their origin changes for different people and over time. Once you move past the basic knowledge of safety and livelihood, there is always some room to look for the magical moments that can surprise us rather than dreading the next crisis.

It all begins with being stateless.

Philippians 4:11-13
New King James Version (NKJV)
11 Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content: 12 I know how to be abased, and I know how to abound. Everywhere and in all things I have learned both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. 13 I can do all things through Christ[a]who strengthens me.

Morning

When morning comes, it's refreshing, relaxing and full of hope. But unless you are the one experiencing the Sunrise, the feelings are hard to share. It's about comfort, rest and readiness. One of the most amazing Sunrises I remember was when I spend the night on the hood of a car (yes you heard correctly). Even though I hardly slept with my back on the windshield, the Sun's rays appeared one by one creating magic in the clouds, the hills, the trees and revealed the sky like a symphony and a dance.

It's like true love, real family, close friendship and inner joy which turns out to be corny and melodramatic when you try to express it. You have to be there! And I'm here. This morning!

Mundane magic

After a bout of high blood sugar that sent me to the hospital 2 years ago, I learned to cut out all simple carbs from my diet and I finally learned to control my weight. I feel 18 again as daily morning workouts moved my body system towards the positive and I never felt better.
Vanity drew me to the diet secrets of models and realized I was already doing what they recommended except for cutting out fat and eating every 3 hours.
I tried it. And you can see fat disappear after 7 days.
The unexpected result was my mood swings flattened. I was feeling up more often.
Thus mundane magic!