The Faces Of Change

CHANGE IS BOTH THE BANE and the blessing of our lives. It brings birth as readily as death. If it were not for impermanence, though, there would be no growth and there would be nothing to remind us of what lies beyond.

Energy unfolds as incessant change. We are constantly becoming something else. We never return to a room exactly the same person who left, and it is not the same room.

A table or a chair is just that for a cosmic moment until the wood mites and the wind turn it to sawdust. The momentum some call evolution and others refer to as karma continues turning it to soil, turning it to wood, turning it to a chair once again a cosmic moment later.

This is not to say that impermanence makes life perfect - either immediately or eventually - but as we accept it and embrace it, life does take on a new meaning, a kind of perfect imperfection.

What is truly hopeful is that change does occur. It's as though life delights in taking us by surprise, tapping us on the shoulder and reminding us now and again of how very little we really know of all that is possible.

When we truly see the truth of impermanence, our hearts and minds relax. We no longer hold on to things quite so desperately. As we loosen our grip on what is always changing, we necessarily let go of struggle and so we let go of suffering. We realize that life is already organized within itself. Life flows form life, the bud unfolds into a flower, the child ripens into an adult. We learn to trust each stage, celebrate it, and allow the next one to come effortlessly.

At this point there is vitality in us, a sparkle that cannot be extinguished by any tragedy. Something in us, an urge toward wholeness, a passion for evolving, makes us go on, start over, not give up, not give in.

Moments Of Grace

HAVING SPENT A LIFETIME living in the forest, abusing and killing the forest animals, the old man now lay dying in a clearing. The day had finally come when he could move no further. As he lay there, too weak to even move his head, his faithful dog, the one he had often abused and neglected, cautiously came over to him and rested his head on the old man's arm. In that moment he understood grace. And so he died, no longer feeling angry, but simply being in that moment, a moment of grace.

Grace does not have to be earned. It comes to all alike, simply a wonderful facet of divine activity. It is an assurance, an explanation of why things are never quite hopeless, and why we seldom receive the full harvest of the error we sow, and why we receive a little more good than we sow.

There is an upward pull of the universe, ever seeking to lift us to the heights of our divine nature. It is as real and as relentless as the force of gravity. It is a way of living in an awareness of the divine flow. Our experience of it changes with our consciousness.

In being aware of ordinary moments of grace let's notice that unexpected phone call from an old friend, the signal lights that are green as we drive to work, being in the fastest line at the grocery store, that good sing-along song on the radio, and the keys being right where we left them.

In providing everyday grace to others, ordinary acts of kindness become the normal way of doing things. Choosing to love as a matter of course incorporates hope, forgiveness, and miracles into the fabric of our being, and we step into life with a peace and calmness. No noises, no brass bands, no fanfares - just the effortless stance of one whose grace cannot fail to be recognized.

Grace comes from an examination of our life in which we realize that we don't deserve what we're getting; yet we're getting it anyway. It's the difference between seeing life as an entitlement and seeing it as a gift.

© 2001-08, Tom Brown

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Charles "Tom" Brown was a successful investor who did very well in real estate, oil, and the stock market. Friends began asking him to invest for them, too. And he did. Things went well, and more people heard about his abilities and wanted to be included in the investment strategies he had devised. All went well until there was a dramatic change in the market. All that went up turned down, and Tom wanted everyone to still have a profit - his big mistake - as he wanted to be well thought of. Tom was accused of defrauding investors. Although it was shown that he had never diverted any money for himself other than a modest commission, through unbelievable mishandling by an incompetent or dishonest attorney, what should have been a one-year sentence became a 17-year sentence. At the time of judgment, Tom was 62 years of age.

The purpose of Tom's blog is not to dwell on the injustice, but rather, to show the incredible unfoldment of consciousness in a man who has taken this sentence and created a workshop of Soul and Spirit out of it. His words are designed to help us see into life and do better with what we've been given. Tom's Beyond the Wall blog is located at www.Beyondthewall.blogs.com.  If you would like to write to Tom, he appreciates correspondence.  He does not have access to a computer but can be reached via Charles "Tom" Brown, # 140237, ASPC - Lewis, Barchey Blue - D2 - E5, P.O.Box 3200, Buckeye, AZ, 85326.