THE TAPESTRY

Somehow in this day and age, we’ve seen too much, done too much, been too naked. There’s too much hard-core violence and porn in the airwaves. We can’t really take it back and become innocent again. But I really want to be a virgin again in more ways than one. There is nothing in the physical world left to want, do or imagine. I don’t want one more luxury or gadget to make my life easier except maybe a Gizmo can opener. (I can't believe we're still cranking open cans by hand.)

I don’t think anything impresses anyone anymore except seeing, actually seeing — God. The great mystical force of love inside us all. I was thinking about the tragedy of the hurricane and the tsunami – and how many bodies have rotted and evaporated – how quickly human life is snuffed out. It proves to me what I’ve always known: that man is not made of matter, that rotting flesh has no essence in and of itself, no matter how real the illusion seems. Is flesh man's most important quality? Man is spiritual. We are spiritual beings having a human experience. We are linked to the Divine mind, the one mind, God — and to each other with the fabric of love.

Imagine if the human pageant were just a tapestry — and God sees the complete picture on the finished side, but from our vantage point below, we only see dangling threads that keep disappearing as they are woven in and out. As people pass on, certain threads disappear because they are part of a grand stitch that completes a beautiful landscape — or picture on the other side. We can’t see the whole picture. But God can. We don't know the reason for death and suffering; we don't know what's on the other side, but I'm sure there are many mansions and colors -- and the weave creates a majestic tapestry.

This is a universe of thought. Thought is energy and it is swift (too bad those lying 'Boat Veterans' forever ruined the word 'swift' for me, which just proves I am too much a victim of my thought.) Here's the Catch 22: what you think about all day long, is what you become; what you focus on grows. Whatsoever things are good, pure, lovely -- think on these things and you will bring these into your life in proportion to your thoughts. Our thoughts create our reality, and as Shakespeare said, "There is nothing either good or bad, but thinking makes it so."

I have the profound sense that we can touch God everyday when we are loving to others, especially those who offend us and disturb us, and especially those less fortunate. Have you seen someone's face light up with just one kind word?

I have heard that at the moment of death, we transcend suffering - that it is removed. No one is going to hell by the way, unless their thoughts are already there and they are consumed with hatred for their fellow man.

I lived in Holland and visited Anne Frank's hiding place; it is so sad to think humans can commit hate crimes. We have to be careful not to do this with any group - even extremist Muslims. The tendency in this divisive culture is to lash out at each other, and I have been guilty as well when I speak of the religious-right. But this new breed of militant "Christian" has completely missed the point of Christ's teachings and turned many people off to Christianity in the process. And I believe they are partly behind our foreign policy and this rush to war.

But love heals everything.