It simply comes down to the fact that you are first and above all a spiritual being. And only when you learn that happiness‚ fulfillment‚ and satisfaction only come through satisfying your spiritual nature will you be truly happy. As long as you're giving anything carnal—any carnal desire, any carnal nature, any carnal proclivity or tendency—a higher priority than the needs of your spirit, you will not find true satisfaction.

—ML#3611, Jesus is Enough

Children have a way of being so refreshingly sincere and shamelessly outspoken… a bit too much at times.

I’m presently schooling a group of five 1st, 2nd, and 3rd graders. Fun bunch. They have a way of not only coming up with the most interesting of questions, but of also making the most intrepid statements about their surroundings and the people they know.

You know how as a parent or caretaker you at one time or another experience a situation where you have to at a later time point out to the little person that the unrestrained voicing of their opinion can be rude and embarrassing? Yet, other times, they seem to see right through people and you can’t help but tend to agree with their take on things.

Well, it’s at those moments that you pause, hesitant on whether you need to steer the conversation in a different direction; or, ask yourself if there really is a need to say anything at all.

I usually give them a pensive look and encourage them to explore other possibilities of what really may be as I contain my laughter, yet other times I can’t help but beam a smile and think, “I knew it wasn’t just me!”

Thank God for children and for how they remind me of how important it is to be honest with my self.

"... and the sky opened up
with the soil of the sun..

... I hope you understand what I mean,

nice to meet you anyway"

What is more precious than life itself? I need to be more faithful to pray for those I care about.

Man - it had been a long time since I had felt like someone took all the thoughts I wanted to acknowledge as my own and put them into the words I struggled to grasp but just could not find.

I am writing this one down.

It is expressed with such simplicity and sincerity that it is almost painful to acknowledge that the truth has been staring at me all along.

- I believe I feel the same way regarding love in that I will always love those I have loved and not think it odd - I have not closed myself off to it even though at times I have tried, I have realized that that is what I am like. However, I know that I have hurt others who had a real hard time with that mentality; the *I love everyone different, the love I have for so and so is completely different and taking away from them does not give you more* etc. I have had many a discussion about it, as for the most part even though you may treat someone as if they are unique and love them that way, it is possible to live in denial still behaving in many ways as if you are single, making all those decisions on your own, and although of course you do not mean to hurt the one you care for and in your mind you have made it so clear to them that they are the one you love and want to be with --- you end up hurting what you have.

- what I am wondering is - when you love someone, and you decide to share your life with them, and be with them, then I believe that you put their best interests and feelings above your own, asking them what they think and feel about your feelings, and accordingly, not acting on or verbalizing them if need be - out of love for the one you care for, because that is in essence what being with someone is, it is saying that their love and companionship is worth more to you than that of everyone else and your own personal desires - I believe the fact of the matter is that it must be that way in order for both to feel respected, trusted and secure. -

All that is left to do is pick myself up and try again.

.