by Karyn DudleyEach day is another year gone by, and each year is another landmark in our lives. We focus on certain landmarks, such as births, deaths, anniversaries, and other various events with monumental meaning, forgetting the greatness of each day.
When I wake up do I look around and focus on what’s right in my life, or do I focus on what’s wrong? Have I piled up around me walls of the bad and negative things and imprisoned myself by those walls each day? Have I given in to Lucifer’s invitation to anger, depression, hopelessness, contention, pride, and sadness, or have I chosen to surround myself with the goodness and positives that encourage my own goodness, hope, joy, and love?
The sun rises and sets each day, regardless of whether I see it. Some days the sun’s rays are blocked by heaven’s clouds, and some days the sun’s rays are blocked by my own clouds. Recently I’ve found strength in knowing that although there are days I may not see the sun and its light—or feel its warmth—I KNOW the sun is there. Sometimes it’s only a few minutes before the sun appears, and sometimes it's days. But I know the sun is there, and I know that soon I will see its brightness and feel its warmth. I only need to be patient and wait.
While I wait, I do those things that keep me patient until I can see the light and feel the warmth of the sun again: I wear warm clothing to protect me from the cold. I use lights and other things to help me see and to guide my way throughout the day so the visual absence of the sun doesn’t hinder my everyday life. Doing these things gives me comfort, patience, peace, and love, and it sustains me. As I focus each day on the things that give me comfort, peace, and love, I seem to attract more of those things, and they increase. (Is this what is meant by “the law of attraction?”) At the same time, those things of a negative, depressing nature seem to fade. They don't really disappear—they just sort of fade away to a point where their importance has diminished greatly and they become easier and less tedious to deal with. That helps me deal with them so they can be replaced with something more positive.
Take some time this holiday season, as the new year begins, to think about those things that give you patience, peace, and love. Seek them out daily to sustain you until the sun begins to shine again in your life. You may not always feel the sun; you may not always see it; but know that the sun is ALWAYS there. There are always things to be grateful for each day, and focusing on them will create even more things to be grateful for each day. I promise.
Now go back and reread this essay—only replace "the sun" with "THE Son."