Personal Health and Happiness with Giddy Kitty

There are many horrible things happening in the world. This is not new. There have always been natural disasters that can destroy whole cities. Hurricane Katrina is evidence of that. As if the harshness of Mother Nature is not enough, there is the human factor. As long as humans have walked the earth, we have treated each other inhumanly.

I invite you to contemplate the prayer by Francis of Assisi. Read it now and let its wisdom envelop you.

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace;
where there is hatred, let me sow love;
where there is injury, pardon;
where there is doubt, faith;
where there is despair, hope;
where there is darkness, light;
and where there is sadness, joy;
Grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console;
to be understood, as to understand,
to be loved as to love;
for it is in giving that we receive,
it is in pardoning that we are pardoned,
and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

It doesn't ask for help to feel better, to heal the pain that life causes. It doesn’t scream indignantly, "Why me?" Instead, it asks where can I help, how can I be of service? How can I give love and light to someone else?

It says, in times of trouble, the best way to overcome your pain is to help someone else overcome theirs. By doing that, you will heal yourself and find the peace you seek.

Giving and Receive
Being an instrument of Peace is a constant cycle of giving and receiving. We give and the result will be that we receive back more then we gave. We now have an abundance that we can again share. The cycle continues.

The Gift of Love
Love is a sense of appreciation, gratitude and respect. Since you start the cycle, you must give love to someone. And the first person you need to focus on is… you! Develop an authentic love for yourself. Jesus said to love others as yourself, which means that it is very difficult to love others if you don’t love yourself first. Learn to respect and appreciate the wonder of who you are and to be grateful for just being.

The Gift of Forgiveness
I once read about a woman whose daughter had been brutally murdered. She declared publicly that she had forgiven the murderer. Many people would scorn such a statement, but I believe she did the best thing. Not because it was so noble or kind. But by forgiving, she was able to free herself from the bondage of anger and bitterness caused by another.

Her forgiveness doesn't mean that the horrible event was OK, acceptable or to be tolerated. But for her, it meant that she was no longer its slave.

The Gift of Comfort and Understanding
Comfort those in pain. Let them cry on your shoulder. Accept them as they are without judgement. Forgiveness and love goes a long way to bring healing.

To listen and understand others will open the doors to much healing and resolution. You don’t have to agree with what others stand for, but if you don’t judge but instead try to comprehend their viewpoint, they are more open to listening to yours.

In Giving That We Receive
We need to give these things to ourselves, and then we are in a position to give to others. We cannot start from the stand point of expecting others to give them to us.

Peace begins in each and every one of us. We need to look within. We can't control what is going on in the hearts of others. We can only control our own. When we become Instruments of Peace, we become a part of a magnificent orchestra whose music will transcend anything. What part do you want to play?

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