A prayer

I Asked GOD

I asked GOD to take away my pain.
GOD said, "No.  It is not for me to take away,
but for you to give it up."

I asked GOD to make my handicapped child whole.
GOD said, "No.  Her spirit was whole,
her body was only temporary."

I asked GOD to grant me patience.
GOD said, "No.  Patience is a by-product of tribulations;
it isn't granted, it is earned."

I asked GOD to give me happiness.
GOD said, "No.  I give you blessings,
Happiness is up to you."

I asked GOD to spare me pain.
GOD said, "No.  Suffering draws you apart from worldly
cares and brings you closer to me."

I asked GOD to make my spirit grow.
GOD said, "No.  You must grow on your own,
but I will prune you to make you fruitful."

I asked GOD for all things that I might enjoy life.
GOD said, "No.  I will give you life so that you
may enjoy all things."

I asked GOD to help me LOVE others, as much as he loves me.
GOD said, "Ahhh, finally you have the idea."

Unity of life

He who experiences the unity of life sees his own Self in all beings, and all beings in his own Self, and looks on everything with an impartial eye.    

  ~The B

Eternal identity with pure being

There seem to two kinds of searchers: those who seek to make their ego something other than it is, i.e. holy, happy, unselfish (as though you could make a fish unfish), and those who understand that all such attempts are just gesticulation and play-acting, that there is only one thing that can be done, which is to disidentify themselves with the ego, by realizing its unreality, and by becoming aware of their eternal identity with pure being. - Fingers Pointing Toward the Moon by Wei Wu Wei...