In and Of

Be in this world but not of it.

How can you be in the world and not of it?

To be in the world and not of it requires something attentive in you.  It’s not intended to set you apart but to connect you more fully and to keep you from getting covered in too much of the muck you may see or hear.  You can’t play by the standard rules and stay the same.  You can’t keep score and hold out on “I love you” or sharing from your resources. You don’t wait to contact your friend because you texted or called last and it’s their turn. What does that matter?  You don’t set conditions on who, how, where, and when.  You surrender to why.

Why do you want the things you want? If you can answer the why and behave in a way that matches your why, everything else will line up. What are your wants and why do you want them?  Let’s break that down.  Do you want more love?  Can you remove the expectation of someone else creating that feeling in and for you?  Can you be and offer love without a condition? Would you like to have more fun? Can you find the fun in what you’re doing today?  Is it more laughing?  Go ahead and laugh.  You can.  Give yourself permission.  Is it more understanding? Be understanding.  How about more forgiveness? Forgive.  Create what you want to experience in yourself first.

It can be so tempting to respond to whatever is happening before you in any given moment.  Making the effort to become what you want to see again and again no matter what someone else is doing, is what it means to be in the world but not of it. With time the effort will be reflected back to you.  As within so without.