I apologize for my ministerial absence over yea these last thirty days, but folks, your friend the Reverend Buddy has been deep in meditation, wandering the mystic wilderness, visualizing how best I could, through my own corrupt and humble vessel, provide to you my dear friends and flock, a message of peace that would give your minds inspiration and your spirits succor.
It is at this time of year when many of our Judeo-Christian friends and others turn to religious or spiritual thought, for the solemnest holy days celebrated by these faiths are nigh.
It is in that spirit of divinely-inspired reflection that I wish you all the most joyous of religious feasts; may your faith nourish your souls, helping you to reach and feast at the table of God.
And to all who find no path through the religious thicket, but who instead dwell in the land of diminished gods, or absent dieties, may you find the peace and comfort you require for sustenance of your instruments of consciousness, whatever they may be.
May the rites of Spring reawaken in your hearts the joy of life; may the budding world around you rekindle the fires of hope and goodwill; and may the songs of birds fill your ears and lighten your burdens.
Friends, many times the onset of Spring creates in our hearts the desire to clear the debris from the area; our souls are no exception to this urging. Spring cleaning is a good thing, whether it be clearing the fetid rooms occupied by one's own indolent adult children, or sweeping the cobwebs of resentment and regret from the crawl-spaces in our spirits.
After a time, everything needs cleaning, including our spirits. Now how, Reverend Buddy, you may ask, how in the world may I maintain my spirit, liberating it from the dust, grime, and dirt which threatens to clog and obscure it? Well, friends, I have prayed, dreamed, and pondered these many hours in the desert, waiting for the illumination of the Light upon my feeble mind; and it was revealed to me, that, just as a mop, bucket, broom and pan are the tools you may use to clean your rooms; so, too, may your soul benefit from the application of the cleansing powers of forgiveness, surrender, perspective, and empathy.
Friends, the cleansing power of the aforementioned attributes will have your soul sparkling, shining once again in purity and innocence. But, Reverend Buddy, you may persist in your denial-burdened way, how can these actions clear my soul? How, by forgetting, forgiving, giving up, and imagining to be those who transgress against me, how through these actions may I cleanse my spirit?
Well, friends, I will tell you, that, despite your obstinacy and pig-headedness, you will not only emerge with a sparkling clean spiritual vessel, but, if you act now, you will also receive, at no extra charge, Happiness and a giddy sense of euphoria at the lifting of the burdensome resentment from your hearts.
My dear sheep, your happiness can truly be limited only by the extent to which you are unable to forgive. When you forgive someone, you nullify the injury their behavior has visited upon you, at least in spiritual terms. Refusing to forgive, continuing to bear the grievance of your perceived affront, is much more trying than simply releasing the grievance from its stranglehold on your spirit.
Surrender the grief, anger, resentment, and bitterness. Let it fly away, like the seeds of weeds on the wind, to choke others' lawns; keep your own grass free of encumbrance, looking green and healthy!
Surrender the fight, no matter what it is, for truly friends, how many fights in life are really worth having? If we're honest, we realize that at least nine out of ten were not necessary at all, and that pursuing them only reaped more grief and heartache than ignoring them ever would have; To see this folly is to acquire perspective, to see before it happens how the snares of envy, vanity, and venality restrain us from being the true friend, the loving spouse, the caring parent we could otherwise be. Seeing the snares as they grow up prevents us from being caught up in them, allowing us to focus in our relationships on the important things, instead of the petty jealousies and trivial vexations that tend to beset our dearest, deepest personal connections.
And finally, when confronted with a thoughtless act committed against you, difficult though it may be, try to imagine what would cause that person to act in such a way. Walk a mile in the metaphorical moccasins of your neighbor before you condemn him. Such empathetic reasoning costs little effort; but it may save you countless hours of self-recrimination later.
Always ask: What can I do? How can I help? What can I improve?
Never ask: Why won't they do what I want? Why are they so mean/ ignorant/ intolerant, etc?
Never worry about things you can't control; never try to control another.
Always be responsible for yourself and all your actions; never cede control of yourself to another.
Clear your mind. Do your soul a favor.
And that is what I wish for you today, my friends:
That this Spring time, this time of holy days, will awaken in you a feeling of rebirth, allowing you to grow up like a budding beautiful flower;
May you forgive everyone, and may everyone forgive you, of everything, including everything you've ever done to yourself;
May you surrender to all who love you, and may they surrender to you as well.
May you stand back and see the long view;
and may you stand in the shoes of all those with whom you deal.
May you let go of all the fear, pain, bitterness, and resentment that holds you back;
May you open yourself to the love, beauty, truth, and opportunity that awaits you.
May you keep your own counsel, and keep your wits about you; and
May you give all you've got while you've got it to give.
My friends, if you're able to do that sometimes, you'll be making the world a happier place, for all of us; and that's all we can ask for, all of us, and any of us, as we
Surf on into the Light,
Your Friend,
Reverend Buddy Lee
Happy Passover
Happy Easter
Happy Spring
Be Happy Always!
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