Jump For Joy!

It cannot be said here in the Balkans, that getting out of bed and jumping for joy, or randomly telling someone you see that day that you love them and are grateful to be alive, is a huge tradition.  The fact that times are pretty tough over here makes it even less likely that a lot of people are doing that, even in their own heads.

When I propose that this is really an amazing place to be right now, with a lot of opportunities for all kinds of growth, after people are done staring at me, and we start to talk about it, the question that is always raised is why it is so tough over here, why it has always been so tough over here and why it is getting even tougher.  It seems so unfair. 

My answer is that I have observed that people here are highly skilled at living with a certain degree of suffering, and have been for hundreds of years.  The trouble is that when that degree of suffering becomes normal, normal becomes comfortable, making change, even for the better, the greater enemy.  After a certain point, opportunities for a brighter tomorrow are routinely pushed away, sabotaged or ignored.

This applies not only to the evolution of communities but to individuals as well.

Why are things getting tougher?  Because, if we do not use our free will to raise our own consciousnesses, then the greater Wisdom will step in and do what is necessary to motivate a change.  With humans that usually involves an increase in suffering.  It is a kind of cosmic tough love. If things get tough enough we will actually choose to reevaluate our options.

The changes required are not, in reality, scary; we just assume they are.  They involve acting out of sincere unconditional love, for ourselves and others.  We are not meant to be at war with one another, disease is not necessary and there is more than enough material wealth to go around to each and every human on the planet, and then some.

Today, I want us all to jump for joy, go somewhere private if necessary and just jump.  Tell someone we love them, give thanks for our lives and then thank the Universe for loving us enough to give us all of our troubles and doing what was necessary to get our attention.  That is the first step to effortlessly moving past our suffering and into the joy-filled and peace-filled lives we are all meant to live. 

PS: I just jumped for joy as I posted this…

PPS: Now we have to actually address the possibilities…

Images are by Phillip Halsman (1906-1979)