Love

"Let there be spaces in your togetherness." Kahlil Gibran

As an alcoholic, I demanded love and was possessive of others. I selfishly treated people as possessions and made them responsible for my own satisfaction and survival. My fear of being alone caused me to blackmail people with my needs and emotions. Today I love people while allowing them to breathe. My program entails healthy detachment. I take responsibility for me and allow others to take responsibility for themselves. I give those I love the space they need. Sometimes, I must love people enough to let them go. I am beginning to understand that to be free, I must give freedom to others.

God, in the spaces of my love is the growth experienced.

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that what you found was meant for you to keep.

You know exactly what this means, so stop trying to

figure it out. This was not brought to you so that you

could throw it away. Or ignore it. Or pretend it is

not there.

Look at it. Grab it and look right at it. Hold onto it.

There is more there, much more, than you think.

You know exactly why you received this message

today.

Balancing Your Warrior Spirit (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor When we recognize our warrior self, we can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness. The human soul is dynamic, adapting readily to the changing conditions we encounter as time marches unerringly forward. Though we may use a single set of characteristics to define ourselves, we slip easily into contradictory roles when circumstances necessitate doing so. When we feel called to explore the way of the warrior, we may feel a strong sense of dismay because we have no wish to disavow ourselves of our softer side. Yet embracing the warrior spirit is not a matter of denying gentleness or compassion--all human beings embody all traits to some degree, and seemingly contradictory aspects can coexist peacefully within us. We can exhibit strength without sacrificing tenderness precisely because both are elements of the self and both have a role to play in the complexity of existence. Balance is the key that unlocks the door of peaceable coexistence where opposing characteristics of the self are concerned. The warrior spirit, when allowed free reign, is overpowering and all-consuming. If it is to be an affirmative force in our lives, it must be tempered with wisdom and moderation. Our inner warriors are ready to react instantly to conflict, chaos, and confusion, while nonetheless remaining committed to a path of goodwill and fairness. They lie at the root of our dedication to integrity but do not drive us to use our strength to coerce others into adopting our values. The warrior may be nourished by raw emotions with the potential to cause us to lash out, but it channels that energy into positive and constructive action. Your inner warrior is one source of strength you can draw upon in times of great need. When you employ your warrior spirit thoughtfully, it manifests itself as clarity, focus, determination, courage, constancy, and an unflappable zest for life. The warrior views roadblocks as evolutionary opportunities and is not afraid to pursue a purpose to its climax. There is more than enough room in the existence of the warrior for softness and benevolence, and the warrior's willingness to stand up for their beliefs can aid you greatly as you strive to incorporate these ideals into your existence. Exploring this unique side of yourself is a means of broadening your reality so you can internalize mindfulness while meeting life's challenges with an intensity of spirit that never wavers.

The Quote

Freedom

Freedom is the right of every human being. -Rev. Martin Luther King Jr.

Spirituality is a choice. Recovery is a choice. Living the life that says Say Yes to Your Spirit is a choice. All the above happens because we make it happen-the power of being human-and it brings freedom. This freedom is also a choice. The poets, who write during times of persecution, tell us that you can throw people in prison, torture them, chain them, separate them from loved ones, but you cannot take away the freedom that lives in their souls. Having this attitude is a choice. It is a choice to believe in the all-encompassing entity called spirituality. It is a choice to dance in God. - Leo Booth

Today I choose freedom.

Holy Love (KB)

Karen Berg

APRIL, 2019

The greatest souls who walked this world were those who were able to release the potential of their hearts. They were not great because of how much power they possessed, or what they had conquered, or even what they had achieved. They were great because they had allowed the divinity that was inside to shine and be ignited. Each one of us has this potential for greatness. We are little rocks from a large mountain, and at any given moment we can unite again with this mountain, reclaiming our glory. Is it not exciting to know that holiness is within your reach? Is it not wonderful to understand you derive from love and divinity? I think most of the world’s problems come from the fact we have forgotten this truth. We are children of the Creator and we are holy. So often, though, we believe something else. We make the mistake of feeling shame, embarrassment, or guilt. We too often apologize for being ourselves. We forget our divine essence and how much the Creator loves us. But, if we can re-learn the truth about who we really are, we can reestablish the course of our lives and embark on a spiritual journey of enlightenment and true fulfillment. This week, our greatness, our holiness, and our true essence is awakened. We remember the glory of who we are and elevate into a state of holy love. 

"ELEVATE INTO A STATE OF HOLY LOVE."

Our spiritual guide and compass for the week is portion Kedoshim. Kedoshim means “holy ones.” The spiritual elevation process continues for the Israelites, as for you and me this week. After the Tabernacle had been established and the energy of the Creator physically manifested, the Israelites continued on their spiritual evolution towards the Creator through the help of their leader, Moses. The Creator instructed Moses to teach the Israelites the path towards creating blessings and uniting with the Light. The portion of Kedoshim is a spiritual guidebook to life and we are taught the importance of “loving your neighbor as yourself.” Kedoshim expresses that in order for us to connect with the Light and elevate, we need to understand the path of love. It is through our choice to begin to love one another that we become like the Creator who made us. It is in this way, we are awakened to our potential and essence, and become holy. The Torah is a document that transcends time. Kedoshim describes beautiful lessons that apply to you and me, today. The Creator beseeches us, “Be holy because I, the Lord, your God, am Holy.” “And do not go over your vineyard a second time or pick up the fruit of your vineyard that have fallen, you shall leave them for the poor…” “You shall not seek revenge or bear a grudge against one of your people, but you shall love your neighbor as yourself.” Perhaps one of the simplest and most beautiful portions of the year, Kedoshim awakens us to our inner power, potential, and divinity. The Creator implores us to become who we were meant to become. The Creator is asking us to open our hearts to a holy love, because love is our essence and love is our source. It is in this way, we are able to do the greatest act of self-love: loving our fellow humankind. It is this open and loving heart that makes us holy, makes us great, and creates a life connected to the Light and all of Its blessings. 

"LOVE IS OUR ESSENCE AND LOVE IS OUR SOURCE."

So often in life, we live unaware of who we truly are. We can believe falsely that we are of little importance and just a mere speck in this giant world. But nothing can be further from the truth. Do you know you are Divine? Do you know that you are holy? The Creator wants us to know this. The universe is asking us to understand our power and ability to achieve greatness in this lifetime. The Creator is showing us that the path to holiness is the path of love, they are one and the same. It is in the opening of our hearts and hands to those in need do we actually give to ourselves. It is in forgetting ourselves, just for a moment to think of another, do we find ourselves. It is in the letting go of our needs, just for a second, do we receive everything. The path to holiness is the path of living our authenticity. This week, we are like newborns, having just left the holiday of Pesach. We were released from negative energy and now we move towards positive energy and our truest capabilities. Passover freed us from ourselves so we may learn to love others and develop the holiness we have inside. The period of time after Pesach is known as the Omer. The Omer is a 49-day elevation process in which we, day by day, reveal our Light and potential of our souls. We now stand at a period of time when the universe is guiding us to our greatness. Join me and all of our friends around the world as we open our hearts to becoming the channel for love we were born to become. The world needs our love. The world needs our holiness to shine forth. Now is the time.

This week in your meditations, I ask you to forget the past. The old you is no longer here. After Pesach, we have been given the great gift of being released from old patterns and behaviors that did not serve us. Let your old self go. Release the old skin and step into your new self. Take a few deep breaths and allow the spirit of the Creator to enter your being. You have a gift inside. It is the gift of love. You are the Creator. You are the rock that is allowed to unite with the mountain once again. There is no limit to the love you can give and no limit to your potential. Remember, you are holy, because the Creator is holy. Reclaim who you are. Open your heart and be a channel of positivity to everyone you meet, knowing that it is you who benefits the most from this love. Love is what will bring you joy, peace, and the blessings you seek. Love is your path to greatness, righteousness, and holiness. Our choice to be a channel of love or not is what determines whether we allow the holiness within to finally shine.

The Quote

Thought

If you want to truly understand something, try to change it. -Kurt Lewin

This saying makes you ponder. It is a thought that challenges us to think outside of the box. It forces us into explanation. You cannot really change something without first understanding what it is you want to change. You probably want to change something because you don't agree with it or you think that you have a better solution. And so you really need to understand what it is you want to change. I am an alcoholic.Only after years of trying to change my behavior and attitude concerning alcohol have I eventually come to an understanding of alcoholism: the denial, manipulation, sarcasm, family history, and mood swings.My efforts at change produced a profound understanding.

I cannot change without thinking.

NUGGETS OF WISDOM - 229

• ·       "When you are a faith son of God, all upright work of the realm is sacred. Nothing which a son of God does can be common. Do your work, therefore, from this time on, as for God. And when you are through on this world, I have other and better worlds where you shall likewise work for me." – Jesus
  ·       “In necessary things, unity; in disputed things, liberty; in all things, charity.” —Richard Baxter
  ·       "The spirit which my Father and I shall send into the world is not only the Spirit of Truth but also the spirit of idealistic beauty." – Jesus
  ·       "This new teacher will be forever unfolding to the truth-seeking believer that which was so divinely folded up in the person and nature of the Son of Man."
  ·       “Charity is the root of all good works.” —Saint Augustine
  ·       “To experience Godlike spontaneous miracles, you must have a sense of yourself as Godlike.” — Dr. Wayne W. Dyer
  ·       “Charity and love are the same—with charity you give love, so don't just give money but reach out your hand instead.” —Mother Teresa
  ·       "To see God--by faith--means to acquire true spiritual insight. And spiritual insight enhances Adjuster guidance, and these in the end augment God-consciousness."
  ·       “Generosity consists not the sum given, but the manner in which it is bestowed.” —Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi
  ·       "It would help you much if you would learn that true wisdom embraces discretion as well as courage." – Jesus
  ·       “Work and live to serve others, leave the world a little better than you found it.” —David Sarnoff
  ·       "You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don't try." - Beverly Sills

Hope

Strong hope is a much greater stimulant of life than any single realized joy could be. Friedrich W. Nietzsche

Say Yes to Your Spirit is rooted in hope. But what is hope? For me it is a feeling that God has not only created this world but also is still creating in and through every moment of life. Cocreation means we are encouraged to join God in this creative enterprise and make the world a better place for all of us. I see it happening-sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly, but it is happening. It is the hope that feeds my optimism and joy. In my dance in God I see the world coming together and divisions being healed . . . hence the smile on my face. What about you?

Today I have hope and I affirm joy.

The Quote

Greatness

"The ability to accept responsibility is the measure of the individual." - Roy L. Smith

My greatest insight into life is that I am responsible. My responsibility is an imporant and dignified gift from God. My responsibility reveals my involvement in God's creation, in my life, and in my recovery from alcoholism. Greatness is in the choices I make, and my choices come with God's gift of freedom. Human beings are more than puppets on a string or automated machiens. We are creative creatures who carry the burden and joy of responsiblity. Along with coming to terms with my alcoholism, I also accepted the responsiblity to remain sober in my decisions and lifestyle. Such is greatness.

Thank You for giving me the responsibility to cocreate.

See Yourselves Advancing Upward All The Time (EC)

Do not let your footsteps falter when things seem to be difficult. Keep your eye fixed on the ultimate goal and lift up your heart in deep, deep love and gratitude for all that is happening to you. Realize that every weakness that is overcome gives you greater strength and enables you to take that next step in greater confidence and faith. See yourselves advancing upward all the time. Never allow even a glimmer of defeat into your thinking, simply claim that you CAN and you will.

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that everything you have been thinking lately is to be

thrown out.

You're spending too much time "in your head" these

days. How about getting out of your thoughts and into

your feelings? You've analyzed it to death. Now it's

about moving from your head to your heart.

What are you feeling about all this? That is what really

matters. You are using your thoughts to try to parse

your feelings. You may want to stop that.

You will not have to think but a second to know

exactly why you received this message today.

The Flow of the Universe (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor Many people live their lives struggling against the current, while others use the flow like a mighty wind. The flow of the universe moves through everything. It's in the rocks that form, get pounded into dust, and are blown away, the sprouting of a summer flower born from a seed planted in the spring, the growth cycle that every human being goes through, and the current that takes us down our life's paths. When we move with the flow, rather than resisting it, we are riding on the universal current that allows us to flow with life. Many people live their lives struggling against this current. They try to use force or resistance to will their lives into happening the way they think it should. Others move with this flow like a sailor using the wind, trusting that the universe is taking them exactly where they need to be at all times. This flow is accessible to everyone because it moves through and around us. We are always riding this flow. It's just a matter of whether we are willing to go with it or resist it. Tapping into the flow is often a matter of letting go of the notion that we need to be in control at all times. The flow is always taking you where you need to go. It's just a matter of deciding whether you plan on taking the ride or dragging your feet. Learning to step into the flow can help you feel a connection to a force that is greater than you and is always there to support you. The decision to go with the flow can take courage because you are surrendering the notion that you need to do everything by yourself. Riding the flow of the universe can be effortless, exhilarating, and not like anything that you ever expected. When you are open to being in this flow, you open yourself to possibilities that exist beyond the grasp of your control. As a child, you were naturally swept by the flow. Tears of sadness falling down your face could just as quickly turn to tears of laughter. Just the tiniest wave carrying you forward off the shores of the ocean could carry you into peals of delight. Our souls feel good when we go with the flow of the universe. All we have to do is make the choice to ride its currents.

The Quote

Creativity

The best way to predict the future is to create it. -Author Unknown

For most of my childhood I received the religious message that if God wanted you to have something then he (God was always a "he" in those days) would make sure that you got it. Also, it followed, if you didn't get something or have something in your life, it was because God didn't want you to have it. If you wanted something very much, then it helped to pray in church, light a candle, or put some money in the collection box. Priests suggested that God is pleased by a healthy donation! I didn't hear very much about creating what we wanted or needed in our own lives. The idea of "pray hard, but remember to move your feet!" was absent from my Sunday school. When I eventually heard the cocreation message (the concept of partnering with God to create what you want) at Unity of Christianity, it made so much sense; incidentally, it also made me successful. - Leo Booth

I am involved in my life and success.

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that it is never safe to look into the future with eyes of fear.

Edward H. Harriman said that, and he was right. Nothing

is fearful lest thinking make it so. I can honestly say that

probably 95% of the things I was afraid of, it turned out

I had no reason to be. 

And even if the thing you fear happens...so what? Again,

95% of the time your world is not going to fall apart, your

life will not be in danger. So drop fear by the wayside.

Just... let it go. Then make way for a surprising tomorrow.

Worry (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor Worry is an extension of fear, and can also set you up for attracting that which you don't want in your life. We have all had the experience of worrying about something at some point in our lives. Some of us have a habitual tendency to worry, and all of us have known someone who is a chronic worrier. Worry is an extension of fear and can be a very draining experience. In order for worry to exist, we have to imagine that something bad might happen. What we are worrying about has not happened yet, however, so this bad thing is by definition a fantasy. Understood this way, worry is a self-created state of needless fear. Still, most of us worry. One reason we worry is because we feel like we're not in control. For example, you might worry about your loved ones driving home in bad weather. There is nothing you can do to guarantee their safe passage, but you worry until you find out they have reached their destination unharmed. In this instance, worry is an attempt to feel useful and in control. However, worrying does nothing to ensure a positive outcome and it has an unpleasant effect on your body, mind, and spirit. The good news is that there are ways to transform this kind of worry so that it has a healing effect. Just as worry uses the imagination, so does the antidote to worry. Next time you find that you are worrying, imagine the best result instead of anticipating the worst outcome. Visualize your loved ones' path bathed in white light and clearly see in your mind's eye their safe arrival. Imagine angels or guides watching over them as they make their way home. Generate peace and well-being instead of nervousness and unease within yourself. Another reason we worry is that something that we know is pending but are avoiding is nagging us--an unpaid parking ticket, an upcoming test, an issue with a friend. In these cases, acknowledging that we are worried and taking action is the best solution. If you can confront the situation and own your power to change it, you'll have no reason to worry.

The Quote

Judgment

Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother's eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? - Jesus (Matthew 7:3)

It is so easy to judge other people. I've been working on that character defect for years. However, when I get angry in my judgments of others it is usually because something is too close to home. I've been doing some serious work on myself lately. I'm especially attentive to examining my personal character defects. I write about them and see them for what they are-in a word, "insecurity." Slowly I'm beginning to heal. I'm also discovering as I do this work on myself that I'm less judgmental toward others. And I'm a happier person.

I belive that only when I can remove the specks that are in my own eye will I be able to love you.

The Protective Layer of the Negative Side (MB)

Michael Berg

APRIL, 2019

The portion Acharei Mot is a discussion of the death of Nadab and Avihu, the two sons of Aaron.  In one of my favorite sections in the Or ha’Hayim, the great kabbalist, Rav Chaim Ben Attar, speaks about what is not so much their death, but really, their parting of this world. It tells us Nadab and Avihu became close before the Light of the Creator, and they died. And the Or ha’Hayim explains that Nadab and Avihu came so close to the pure essence of the Light of the Creator, with so much holy desire, that this closeness is what brought about their death. This is something that is mentioned in the writings of the kabbalists called the “Kiss of the Creator” that removes the soul from the body.

"THEY FELT THE LOVE AND BEAUTY OF THE LIGHT..."

There is a difference in this kiss, however, between when righteous people die and Nadab and Avihu do. For the righteous person, it says that the kiss comes towards them, meaning that person had lived their life in the way that connected them more and more to the Light of the Creator by finishing their work in this world, so the Creator comes close to them in a kiss and unifies with their soul. But Nadab and Avihu were different, because they did not complete their task in this world; rather, they chose actively to go towards the Light of the Creator in such a way that would remove their soul from their bodies. That is the secret of the words, “They came close to God.” It means that they chose to continuously move closer to the Light of the Creator, even though they knew that kind of closeness would make it impossible for their souls to remain in their bodies.

Even though Nadab and Avihu were having a spiritual experience by entering into the Tabernacle, and they felt the love and beauty of the Light of the Creator, they had the consciousness that if they continued down that path connecting to the Light in that way, their souls would not remain in their bodies. Therefore, Nadab and Avihu made a conscious choice; they desired that closeness more than they desired the life within their bodies, and they actively chose to completely reunify with the Light of the Creator, even though they still had work to do in this world.

So, that’s what Rav Chaim Ben Attar explains about the conscious elevation of the souls of Nadab and Avihu out of their bodies. And the great kabbalist, the Arvei Nachal, Rav David Solomon Eibenschutz (1755-1813), who is buried in Tzfat by the Ari, takes this teaching and then gives us a deeper understanding. Each one of us, he says, is created with what’s called a positive inclination and a negative inclination. We all have a desire to do good, and a desire to do negative things, because we have free will. In order to allow for free will, there needed to be a creation of the negative inclination that exists and resides inside every single one of us. 

"THE SOUL, BY NATURE, WANTS TO GO BACK TO ITS SOURCE."

There’s a deeper secret about the necessity for each of us to have this negative inclination within us, however. Just as we could not exist without the positive desire, we also could not exist without that negative desire. The positive inclination that we have within us is an energy that gives us life, and so, too, is the negative inclination within us necessary to give us life. But how can we understand that we receive life from the negative inclination?

As we learned from Nadab and Avihu, if a person is truly involved in the spiritual work, is really growing in their connection, it is the nature of the soul to not want to reside in the body. That’s why, for instance, it says in the Tehillim, Book of Psalms, that with every breath we take, the soul wants to leave. The soul does not want to remain in this body, especially if it is awakened again to feel a connection with the Light of the Creator. We know it is the desire of everything to go back to its source, and the source of the soul is the Light of the Creator. As such, if there had not been a system built that almost forces the soul to stay within the body, the soul would leave the body all the time.

So, in order to stop the soul from leaving the body any time it senses the Light, the Creator took our essence, our soul, that positive nature which is really at the core of who we are, and enveloped it in the most negative desire, in the one thing that is exactly the opposite of the Light of the Creator: the Desire to Receive for the Self Alone. And what we call the negative inclination is, therefore, actually the protector. If not for the negative inclination that each one of us has, our soul would be out of our body.

The Negative Side isn’t there just to give us free will. Of course, that’s one of the reasons, but it’s also there to allow for life in the human body. Because if not for the fact that the soul was forcibly covered by this Desire to Receive for the Self Alone, the soul would not remain in the body. The Negative Side is always there to intervene and make sure that we don’t get too spiritual or connected; what happened to Nadab and Avihu, therefore, is that the protective layer of the negative inclination was broken.

With this understanding, we can begin to see that when we’re feeling disconnected, it is part of the protection, part of what keeps us alive. Any time we feel any type of lack, certainly a spiritual lack, what we’re feeling and connecting to is the protective layer that is allowing our soul to remain within the body. The soul, by nature, wants to go back to its source, so in order to allow us to do the work we need to in this world, the Creator gave us a gift that allows us to live: the negative inclination. It builds a layer, a shell, around the soul, and doesn’t allow it to connect 100% and completely get to the state where it wants to leave the body. Being enclosed within this negative inclination is what allows us to do the work in this world. It is truly a beautiful teaching, and gift. 

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that the tiniest gesture -- a smile, a gentle look, a simple

pat on the arm, a soft word -- can change a person's life.

Before this very day is out, you are going to have a chance

to live in that possibility. Look. Watch. 

See what this day brings you. And be ready.  

If you believe I am exaggerating about this, please know

that I am not. Someone is waiting for that smile, that look,

that gesture from you right now.

Why do you suppose you just read this? Do you think this is

a coincidence?

Retreat (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor Going on retreat is a time to cocoon, so that we may emerge ready to return to our lives with a new perspective. Occasionally, we need to pause - and step away from the hustle and bustle of modern life. One way to do this is to get away from our daily life and go on retreat. Far more than a vacation, a retreat offers us time to ourselves to rest, heal, reflect, and renew our spirit. It is a time to cocoon so that we may emerge renewed, refreshed, and ready to return to our everyday lives with a new perspective. A retreat gives us time for uninterrupted meditation so that we may go deep within and spend time with ourselves. A retreat may offer quiet, solitude, and sometimes even silence. Retreats often take place in humble dwellings with simple fare so that our senses may be reawakened to the beauty of unadorned tastes and the sights and sounds of nature. When we spend days in contemplation, we can more easily hear our heart when it speaks to us. We also are able to really listen when a bird sings, deeply breathe in the smell of flowers, grass, or earth, and delight in a soft breeze blowing on our cheek. When we go on retreat we have time to connect to the sacred geometry of a labyrinth, discover epiphanies through asanas, or take a long, reflective walk through the woods where we can give each step our full attention. Without the pull of deadlines, relationships, the Internet, or other media, we give ourselves time to go deep into our own solitude where we can fully reflect on our joys, sorrows, and fears, owning and releasing them as needed. We may even come to know and understand our life path more deeply. Hopefully, when we return home, we can take a little bit of this time alone back with us and create the space for deep reflection on a daily basis. We also may come back to our life renewed and ready to take on the world. The beauty of going on retreat is that no matter where you go or how long you stay, you'll always meet yourself when you get there.

The Quote

Ideas

An idea is salvation by imagination. Frank Lloyd Wright

I had this idea about writing a book that was for everyone. Sure, recovering alcoholics and drug addicts, and therapists who work in my professional field would read it, but it should also be for everyone. I knew it would be about spirituality, but a cocreative spirituality that revolved around the idea of dance: dancing in God, taking our Higher Power into our lives, but more than this, celebrating the Spirit that was given; it is already here! The result is what you are reading. A certain imagination is necessary to write 366 meditations, but as I look around at life, I realize the book wrote itself.

I thank God for the gift of imagination.

On this day of your life

I believe God wants you to know ...

... that miracles do not, in fact, break the laws of nature.

C.S. Lewis said that, and it is an enormous insight. If

we think that miracles are normal, we will expect them.

And expecting a miracle is the surest way to get one.

Your Special Gift (OM)

by Madisyn Taylor We all have a genius within us and when one of us doesn't develop or use our special gift, a cosmic void takes place. Each of us is born with a specific genius that was bestowed upon us so we can do our part to make this world a better place. All of us have a role that we're uniquely suited for. Imagine our planet without trees, oceans, or clouds. In this same way, when one of us doesn't develop or use our special gift, a cosmic void takes place. This unique talent or ability may be hidden from your own sight like a golden treasure buried under shifting sands. Often, we spend so much time dazzled by the talents of others that we can overlook our own gifts. It may even be that our unique ability is something we view negatively. Perhaps we find it difficult concentrating on any one subject for long; meanwhile, others are thrilled by our ability to weave various ideas throughout our conversations. Or, you might think of yourself as "frivolous," when it's likely your charming approach to life casts a light of inspiration that others can't help but follow. It's important for all of us to try to find our special gift and discover how we can best express it. Ask others to name what they think is your most overlooked talent or character trait. Their answers may change your life. Explore these riches that are yours to express, and you may find yourself helping others discover and develop their own blessings. Acknowledge and appreciate the gifts you see in those around you. Tell your neighbor that loves to garden how much her green thumb enlivens the whole block. Thank your coworker for always greeting your days together with a smile. Tell your close friends that their ability to listen makes your world a better place. Our unique gifts are like golden rays of expression that can encircle the world with light.