Haiti

My thoughts and prayers are with the residents of Haiti as well as their family and friends. How much can this little country endure.

The Four Agreements

I keep this list by my desk. It keeps so much in perspective.

1. Be impeccable with your word
2. Don't take anything personally
3. Don't make assumptions
4. Always do your best

This I Believe

Taken from the website....

About This I Believe

This I Believe is a national media project engaging people in writing, sharing, and discussing the core values and beliefs that guide their daily lives. NPR airs these three-minute essays on All Things Considered, Tell Me More and Weekend Edition Sunday.

I was turned onto this series by a friend a few years ago and I listen every week. It's enlightening and extremely touching. I've heard stories about people who believe in talking, hugs...you name it.

Unfortunately this series is coming to an end because of budget cuts. It's a shame. I've wanted to submit something but waited. Since I've missed my opportunity to submit it on the air I'm going to post it here in a few (days, weeks).

Illusion of Ownership

This concept really got me thinking about the things we "own".

I have certain material items that I love and feel great pride about. For example my...

• Computer
• Mp3 player
• Bag(s)
• Blackberry

One concept in the book A New Earth says that identifying with "things" is your unconscious trying to connect with the material instead of the "being".

A few weekends ago I was at work and a friend came by because she needed some help in picking out a product. Before she came I had just had a break and headed back to find her so that we could find the product that fit her needs. There I am back at work and I reached in my pocket to find my Mp3 player to check the time and it wasn't there. Normally I always place it back in my pocket (I haven't used a watch in years).

A few things happened:

• my palms started to get moist
• my mind started racing, "where, where, who took, when"
  

As that was happening my friend T saw me and came over. She asked me what was wrong and I said, "I lost my Mp3 player". She said, "I'll help you find it". We looked around for a bit, but come on if I put it down in a crowded place is someone going to turn it in. I doubt it.

T said, "What are you going to do?".
I said, "I'm going to order another one tonight. If it's gone it's gone, there's nothing I can do.

I felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. I wasn't going to attack the people around me demanding that they show me the content of their pockets and purses. I just came to peace with the fact that I would order another one. I didn't want to spend the money on the product twice, but I was prepared to.

Well, would you know it. M a co-worker of mine, a lovely woman who is one of brightest stars at my job, came up to me and asked me if this was mine. It was my Mp3 player and I was elated. I told my co-worker J that I lost it and he told M who brought it up to me from the break room, where I had left it. Seemed like when I came to terms with it being gone, it came back into my life. I focused back on "the being". I don't change because I lost a material object. My Mp3 player and I are two different things. I learned from my past experiences to blow up, react emotionally and blame myself for losing a possession of mine.

Today is a new day.

So, when I think about the "Illusion of Ownership" I feel that things can be important to you, but (it even says this in the book)

"If you are aware that you are identified with a thing, the identification is no longer total. That's the beginning of the transformation of consciousness."

What I like about this section is that the book doesn't say you're bad or wrong for thinking this, but your awareness of this concept is enough to start a change within you.

I completely agree.