Inner Peace

In light of Robin Williams' apparent suicide two days ago,  I feel compelled to complete this post that I started quite a while ago.

Often I ask people what is the one thing humans can't live without? To which I get several different answers; air, water, love, food,  Google, etc. For the most part, these are all good answers, but there are people who can attest to how it possible is to live, even if only for a short while, without each of these things.

But in my living and all my studies, there is only one thing I've found that people can't live without for even for a second, and that is HOPE. 

                                           When the world says, "Give up,"

                                      Hope whispers, "Try it one more time."

                                                                       ~Author Unknown

Hope is that feeling that if you can stand it a little bit longer, something might happen to ease your pain or fix what's wrong in your world. It's that tiny belief that even as bad as things may be right now, better days are coming. And sadly, when people have no hope, they can't find a reason to keep living. When studying the suicide notes left by the vast majority of people who took their own lives, the resounding theme throughout is the utter hopelessness and despair felt that led them to end their own lives.

Depression is real and it's not discriminating. It's not a funk or a rut. It's like a never - ending, profound sadness. Often it does not have a root, not tied to any specific issue or concern. Being rich and famous does not exclude one from the torment and pain in their minds. Being me did not exclude me; I remember those days well. So I can say what I say from a place of experience and love, having had the fog lift to be able to see clearly. Having hope gives you a fighting chance. And that hope is just like the Bible says about faith, you only need a tiny bit,  the size of a mustard seed. A microscopic feeling that (as my grandmother used to say) it may not be right, but it's all right.

                                       "Hope is the feeling we have that the      

                                        feeling we have is not permanent." 

                                                                  ~Mignon McLaughlin

Hallelujah!!!

That's why it is important to me to inspire and be inspired by others. That's also one of the main reasons that it's essential that we be mindful of how we treat others. It's why I pray and mediate every day and why I promote peace, compassion and self -love. Why the main theme of my practice is to believe in someone until they are ready and able to believe in themselves. Because NOTHING TRUMPS INNER PEACE!  You can have everything, or you can have little, no matter. But if you don't have that contentment in your heart, that belief that no matter how bad it seems right now, a blessing is right around the corner with your name on it, often you don't have the will to keep going. I found my inner peace and I'm never letting go.  I wish the same for you; right now. Today. Blessings.

Until next time.
Peace. Two fingers, one love.