Day 121: Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

Today A Course in Miracles reminds us of the link between forgiveness and joy.  Through forgiveness, we will attain happiness unlike any we have ever experienced.

Forgiveness is the key to happiness.

The Course instructs us to meditate once in the morning and once at night for ten minutes, visualizing someone whom we consider an "enemy" and someone we consider a friend.  We are told to look deep within our supposed enemy for the presence of Light.  When we find it, we are to imagine that light filling them up, expanding until it surrounds him/her.  With our friend, we are to picture that same Light within them, growing until they appear as more than our friend in the vision we hold.  What our enemy and friend alike become are our saviors.  They then share their light with us, as we, too, join them in glowing ever-brighter from within.

What this exercise teaches us is that through forgiveness we are able to See our friends, along with those whom we perceive to be our enemies, One with ourselves in Light.

There is Light within all of us, though at some times it may be difficult to find.  When someone who crosses your path rubs you the wrong way, see the situation as an opportunity to find the light within them.  This can be a challenge, but it also offers you a gift which your otherwise lingering frustration will not: Happiness.

There will come a day when forgiveness is no longer necessary, when we no longer see one another as separate from one another, when we will no longer harm one another for the knowledge and true understanding that in doing so we only harm ourselves.  There will come a day when all we perceive is Love, for we will all know that Love is all there really is.  There will come a day when endless Joy and Peace is all we will experience, in the multitude of forms in which they come, and we will share them gladly with our Brothers and Sisters as they share theirs with us.

Until that day, we must forgive.  We must do this freely, we must do this consistently, and we must do this truly, as long as there exists in our world the dark shadows which we have dreamt up in our false way of thinking.  Forgiveness will unleash the Truth, and it will spread like wildfire across every mind in every corner of the earth, shining away the darkness with incredible ease and incredible power.  And what will be left in its place is Pure Joy.

It begins with you.  Learn to see your enemies and your friends in the same Magnificent Light.  Learn to see yourself in that Light with them.  By your learning, you will teach others to do the same, and we will behold that Glorious Day when all fear has been extinguished and our world is restored to its Heavenly state.

Until tomorrow,
Journeyman