My holiness is my salvation. [W-p1.39.5.1]
In college a friend mentioned she was open-minded in religion. That she believed all religions carried the seeds of truth. But that only her religion understood the whole truth.
This immediately rubbed me the wrong way. How dare she tell me what my truth was! I was annoyed. I felt attacked. I wanted to argue. And convince. And plead my case. At the time I chose silence.
As I’ve gotten older, I’ve reflected on this moment a lot. About my friend’s statement. And, even more, about my own visceral reaction to it.
You see, by insisting she see religion in my terms, I was limiting her personal views as much as I felt she was limiting mine. Instead of allowing her to feel what she connected to in the moment. I wanted to tell her exactly how I thought she should feel.
I wasn’t at peace. I wasn’t filled up inside. And I certainly, co-dependently, needed her to validate my own opinions.
Lesson 39 reminds me that in seeing my way as the only way, I am keeping myself in a personal version of my own hell. This does not mean I don’t have opinions. But it can mean I can choose to bless and release what is not my personal path to walk.
What I discovered. The gift my friend gave me. Is the awareness of the hell of intolerance I had made for myself. And the beautiful option of salvation I could find when I put on my own life vest, rather than sinking the ship trying to ‘save’ another.
It begins with me.
Once I feel safe in my own thoughts. Once I love these thoughts and recognize anything outside of this love is only bringing me a hell of my own making…I can truly enjoy the saving peace that is mine to live.
Be at peace today, dear friends. See if your heart feels right allowing the experiences of others to be just that. Their personal experiences on their own journey to enlightenment. And witness the salvation that comes from connecting to your personal inner love and salvation.
Namaste Light Walkers!
All quotes are from A Course in Miracles, copyright ©1992, 1999, 2007 by the Foundation for Inner Peace, 448 Ignacio Blvd., #306, Novato, CA 94949, www.acim.org and info@acim.org, used with permission.