If only we knew then what we know now! The old cliché we’ve all heard, but is it old in terms of meaning? Have we simply ignored the wealth of information this well known mantra offers; falling down the years onto young ears as we discuss some error of inexperience or hindsight? Maybe not so at all…maybe this is just forcing us to look again at our past experiences and understand the “why” of it all and the messages that echo through time.

We must endure disappointments and trials in life. It is guaranteed that we will have obstacles to climb, challenges to decipher and lessons to give us understanding. It is a vital aspect of living, growing, and achieving maturity, wisdom and success. Please understand, when I use the term success by no means am I referring to any one thing, especially financial. We each get to choose what success is or means to us, but whatever it is we aspire towards we generally have been given some major tools to gain ground.

Everything has its lessons. This is true. What they might be is determined again by the individual but IF said individual is searching for truth, clarity, understanding, positivity, and resilience, then they’ve been given a beam of light. What we need to teach our children is how to use life. How to understand what’s between the lines and how to look forward. We as parents cannot give a young person all they need to succeed, but life can help with this.

What we emerge with from youth is the historical bible of our own learning, the beams gathered actually shine forward. When we remember, we say we look back. We are looking in the past and we assume the past is left there; somewhere in a dim hole, barely recognizable and useless but only to serve as good memories or bad memories. But those milestones or memorable incidents are lights that shine the way forward. I recently spoke with a friend who questioned his validity in his profession 40 years later. He reminisced on his achievements and abilities as a young man and wondered at times if he had lost that.

That would be a NO. We remain the same beings we were, have been and will continue to be. We need to believe this and live this into a continuum, not leave it behind year after year. All the experiences, talent, frustrations, pain, successes, love, failures etc. come together to make us richer and wiser adults. They are the tools in our backpack that remain with us, not in the past. They are there to be used again and again, resilient. We are now able to navigate with foresight, understanding while recognizing pitfalls, and open pathways. The light shines forward, it is supposed to illuminate our individual paths into the future.

On this path we get to crawl, walk, run, and eventually fly spiritually. The success will be different for all, and it may be financial success to living a life of inner peace or even less obvious to the average onlooker, being a source of strength for others. I mention the “onlooker”, I’d like to say be very careful of the onlookers. It is easy to get sucked into what “they” think of us and who we are. Never live your life for “them” as you’ll never see who you are, and your path will not be your own. Think of how comfortable it is to walk down the street you live on day after day, you could almost do it blindfolded. Now imagine how if feels when you get dropped off on a corner in a strange neighborhood and you have to figure out where to go based on vague directions.

Your tool bag is catered to you! The light shines on your path and the memories are your riches to learn from and rise above. No one is without need of assistance at some point or another. This is not about an EGO trip or feeling infallible and perfect. This is about understanding that we were not left without the ability to change perception. Perception is key. When you imagine “looking back in time” imagine the light coming at you. It’s almost a time tunnel, it goes back, and it comes forward. You can pull strength from the timeline; you can find your old self and love who you were so that you can love who you are. Things you are ashamed of don’t need to haunt you; they can serve to mold your character into the person you know you should be. The change takes place within. Remember this: you may change the physical around you, achieve the material and the perfect family or career, however, to succeed your inner self must also meet up with the energy of truth, acknowledgements, and understanding. Acceptance then allows you to reach into the backpack and hone your present. Then you shall truly be a success to yourself regardless of what the “onlookers” think, your heart will be at peace and your journey yours to enjoy.

Living a life with the earth and the universe in agreement within your life/spirit will allow you to shine and find a place to settle into being who you are while believing in your worth and value to those around you, you will find God (another personal interpretation) and you will have this map wherever your path takes you.

Peace

CJM