Seeking A Higher Level Of Awareness

In seeking a higher level of awareness, my path has led to some of life's great teachers, homeless people and others struggling to make ends meet, only one bad break from being homeless.

Their harsh reality offers valuable lessons for those of us willing to listen.

These are people ignored or avoided by many others, yet they are as human as you and me, and God dwells within each of us.

To ignore or avoid them is to treat God with that callousness.

Often, the homeless need a compassionate ear and a decent meal, and I've been pleased to serve in both roles.

I've also had the joy of seeing some of them get back on their feet.

There are many factors that put them on the street and I'm not here to judge. My job is to lovingly and respectfully help them.

Donations to homeless missions are an important way to do that, but so is direct human contact.

Sometimes I start to judge and then I realize I know nothing about that person's journey in life, I'm still discovering my own.

So I seek God within him or her, and let go of the bad energy of unspoken resentment, as I smile and do something to help.

If the help takes the form of money, I recall the breaks in life I got, and that money has value only in this life, not in any other so use it here and now where it counts.

I then help my brother or sister knowing I'm sharing these God given resources to make someone else's life a tiny bit brighter.

Dick

For years I've spent time with one man who has tremendous potential, but he's had a serious illness all of his life. At one time he was a superb craftsman, but in recent years that illness has zapped him of much of his strength, and he often lays around the beach.

I've stopped encouraging him to ply his trade again, if even on a limited basis, for I realize that this is his life to live as he chooses, and as his health will allow. He doesn't tell me how to live my life, and the choice to spend time with him, or give him some money is mine. He asks for nothing.

When I see people such as him struggle, I feel compassion for them and help them as my heart guides  but these are their choices and it is their karma they are serving. My role is to care.