We are all moving toward the same destination. Some faster than others and some doing their absolute best to prolong the inevitable... physical death. We all know that we will one day experience it for ourselves and yet, we go about our everyday lives as if we will exist on the physical plane forever. The lack of interest in realizing the meaning of our short time here on earth is something that I have not experienced since my infancy, so I can not go into great depth about it, but I can imagine how freeing it must be to not focus on the meanings of things as much as enjoyment in the moment. Then again, maybe enjoyment in the moment is the meaning.

"He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the hearts of men... I know that there is nothing better for them than to rejoice and do good while they live.."

It is my belief that all material objects, no matter how masterfully made, were made to expire and reintegrate. Nothing visible can last forever, and that is a good thing, as it creates an opportunity to shift the focus to the invisible things that do last forever. Like the energy and ideas that create the material objects. Immortality is a very real possibility for us; it is only the limited ways in which we view eternal life (from a material perspective) that make it seem impossible. There are things of value that do live forever, and all of those things come from us. We create them. We are those things.

The invisible merits such as peace, joy, love, wisdom, strength, and grace are all things that we produce. We experience with one another through words and deeds. The invisible merits are the underlying cause of every good thing we know today, they've been in existence since the beginning of time, and that is because the invisible merits, once transferred, tend to set off a chain of events that never end. Even in death, they live on (low-vibrational energies work the same way). Having only a fleeting, finite amount of time to create, we should be inspired to keep our minds connected to sharing these invisible merits, no matter how difficult, more and more each day.

In the world but not of it.

"Be a passerby"

It is the quality of our thoughts, words, and deeds that determine how long we "live". Many experience death long before their physical heart stops beating. This is what the Savior meant when He proclaimed that "the dead are not alive and the living will not die". There is so much more to a person than their physical body and we as a community must learn to value the spirit, soul, and feelings of a person more than the "looks" and "material wealth". This quarantine has placed many us closer to who we really are, than we've ever been, in our entire lives. So many of us have taken advantage of this time of limited distraction and reconnected with ourselves (and others) again. And that, I believe, is the whole purpose; to come out of this thing totally stripped down, and unapologetically you. We must commit to our own individual truth now. The world demands it.

Immortality is all about what we put out here and now.

"Timeless truth I speak to you: whoever keeps my word, shall not taste death"

Today I learned of the transition of a beloved musical Icon, Andre Harrell. I, like so many others, have followed and enjoyed the fruits of his talent in action for decades. He is a truly remarkable being. I immediately thought back to a time, 15 years ago, when I ran into him at a coffee shop in new york, down on Astor place. Back then, I would stop any successful person (I didn't care how famous they were) and I'd ask them to tell me their secret to success. I did this ALL the time. When I stopped Mr. Harrell that day, he didn't hesitate; in a soft voice He said: "You have to love it", "Be patient, it takes 5 years for any business to be a success", "and never stop". He talked for a few more minutes and I never "saw" him again, but He stayed with me up through this very day. I did leave retail very soon after our conversation, to create two profitable companies, while contributing to thousands of people's lives in the process.

Mr. Harrell had a very clear idea of what made him successful; He then took his time to communicate these ideas to me in a way that was unforgettable. He inspired me. He still does, and while he is not totally responsible for my success, he will always be apart of who I've become and every single person that I am privileged to teach and inspire while I am here. To me, that is infinitely better than what he looked like or what he owned (I've long forgotten what he was wearing that day). His words are what kept me.

I've since discovered for myself that Life is our most precious gift, and the quality of all we think, say, do, and share while we are here on earth, is what will determine whether we live on or not.

Always choose your truth. You never know who's "life" you'll save just by being you, and in the process you might even be saving your own. Mr. Harrell will always live on..through me.

Published by ednapper in Daily Bread, Spirituality, Sunday Sermon, Uncategorized
Tags: childhood, church, elders, Family, God, growth, jesus, love, name, racism, self, spirit