Who’s really in charge?

March’s CostCo Connection magazine had a nice article written by Wally Amos. For those of you who don’t know who Mr. Amos it, he is best known for his Famous Amos chocolate chip cookies.

The article, “Spring-clean your spirit,” reflects on his decision to give up trying to control his life. He writes about how he experienced many anxious moments that caused unrest and other challenges. When he began to analyze these experiences, he discovered that his attempt to control his life, and everything entering it, was causing him disruptions and failures in both his personal and business.

“Being in charge was so ingrained in my consciousness that I needed something more.” A message he remembered reading said, “For peace of mind, let go of being the general manager of the universe.” So, he decided to take a step back, get out of the way and remove himself from the picture. What he found was that there was constant love flowing into his life. He didn’t have to work for it or even search for it, because it was already there.

By changing his perspective of wanting (needing) to be in control, to one of accepting the love that already exists, he found a path of far less resistance.

He ends the article with the following question. “What beliefs are hidden deep within you that need changing? Identify them and clean them out. I promise you, life will become so much more productive, peaceful, fun and enjoyable. …Everything will be resolved when you put love first.”

Those of us living with a constant health issue, for example a progressive neuromuscular condition, often cling to past notions and beliefs. We want our health back. We want to be ‘normal’ again. We can’t understand why this happened. Why isn’t there a cure? Why me?

It is easy to become fixated on what was rather than what is. Acceptance is letting go of past beliefs. It doesn’t mean giving up. We are just giving up trying to control what we have no control over in our life. We will try to see the love and the good in our life without adding “but” or “if” or “should” or “shouldn’t.” We accept what is. We enjoy the rose’s beauty knowing that it also has thorns. And, with this acceptance comes peace and contentment.

I am not naïve enough to believe this change happens overnight. It takes work. There will be many failed attempts, but there will be some wins also. The thorns will still prick me, but I will not let them distract from the rose’s beauty. And that beauty is called “my life.”

Rose Photo:  2010_10300084 rs.jpgBy alive

Thorns Photo:  DSC_0132.JPG By kfjmiller