“I think I’ll be” by C.O. Burleson

I think I’ll be a cloud this day anew
Through which the sun its warming rays shall pass
And cast its light upon each blade of grass
That glistens with refreshing morning dew;
Or should I be a bird with out-stretched wing
That glides along and then at once soars high
Creating graceful figures in the sky,
Or perch upon a limb and gently sing;
The songs of spring awaken in my heart
A joy so full and yearning to release
Itself into the world. The song of peace
And universal love I must impart
Yet as I sing the sweet serenity
Whispers, “It is a pleasure being me.”

Are you happy being you? Do you wish you were someone else, somewhere else, in some other time perhaps? Or are you content being you, happy to wake up in the morning, and thrilled to greet the new day?

Life is too short to be lived in fear, regret, worry, or envy. Such modes of living obscure the radiant core of burgeoning, eternal life within you which longs to be released into the world. You know this because it creates a pressure in you–a pressure to grow, to rise above, to live.

You cannot dim that spirit, but you can darken the cloud through which shines.

Your personal atmosphere–that through which the light you are shines and that through which you perceive the world around you–is formed by your underlying attitude toward life. The clouds around you will either be clouds of glory or clouds of gloom. Bitter, defeatist, contemptuous, unforgiving attitudes darken the clouds, while gracious, forgiving, encompassing, and encouraging attitudes clarify them. No one can escape these underlying laws of Being.  

When you begin to see that your underlying attitude–the inclination of your heart–is yours to decide, you regain control over the direction and intensity of your life. When you see that no one or no life circumstance (no matter how limited or horrific) can take that from you, you begin to live radiantly and not reactively. You realize that you alone can give that power away. You either let the radiant life within you control or you let the world around you decide in which direction your heart shall be inclined.

When your heart is troubled, your vision is dimmed. How clearly do you see things when you are selfish, angry, worried, or depressed? Such spirits distort vision. You need to see clearly if you are to move forward with assurance. And remember, you cannot try to be lighthearted. Lightheartedness is not a matter of force, neither is it the product of labor, struggle, or wrestling. Lightheartedness is a matter of letting.

Hence, the brilliance of the statement: “Let not your heart be troubled.” The key to understanding this truth and to being liberated by it is to comprehend the power of that little, three letter word: “let.”

Awake this morning and move deliberately through this day with a thankful heart. Arise today and fix yourself upon the goal of giving the joy in you the full faith and credit of your body, mind, and heart. You can expect that the people around you and the circumstances you face will challenge that stance, for it brings a pressure on that which ought not be, that which is inconsistent with the reality of being. You can expect the challenge, but you need not let yourself succumb to the temptation. If you let yourself be offended, you will be offended.

Let it be a pleasure being you today. Let eternal life spring through you today, regardless of the season.

Photo by Jonas Weckschmied on Unsplash