And yet, Something within me agrees that life in itself IS perfect. There is an inherent perfection I can see: the sun rises and sets, babies are born, great whales swim in the ocean, we gather together in friendship and respect, and birds are always singing. When we allow stillness and listen to our hearts, we know that there is a perfection which is always present. This perfection is Life. So... what do we do with all that other stuff: the ugliness we see with our eyes, the hurtful words we hear with our ears, and the pain we feel in our own bodies and our souls?

This is why I study Truth. I have come to understand and (more or less in any given moment) accept that the experiences of this lifetime include both the human and the Divine. Yes, there is a realm of Oneness called the Absolute in which and of which I have my True, Eternal Beingness, AND I am here, present in this fully-human body in this fully-human world.

Life in this material world has things which are labeled good and bad, happy and sad, pleasurable or painful, things I want to have and things I want to avoid. These things are temporary and continually changing. The exquisite little hedgehog cactus in bloom which I photographed this morning will wither and die. All the challenging situations with which we are currently struggling will come to an end. It's just the way things are. Everything here in the relative experience of life had a beginning and will have an end, even the giant sequoias and the Himalayas. There is perfection in the completion of cycles.

Yes, it hurts when something or someone we love is no longer as we wish they would be. Yes, it is painful to see others suffer or to suffer ourselves. We cannot always, from our human perspective, answer the question, "Why?" Yet, within the stillness of our hearts, we know that the One Power, One Presence we call Life is perfect. Even as we live this human life, It is the Truth of What We Are.

Perhaps today we could look at one "bad" thing and be willing to see the Good which is always present. It likely won't be easy, so perhaps best to start with something "easy-ish". As I write this, dawn has given way to morning, and flies are starting to buzz around my face, which I don't like. They bother me, it's annoying, and I wish they would go away. They are nasty, filthy things and they most certainly make it difficult to accept that life is perfect when they show up.  

They are also necessary to the biological health of the planet we live on. Even my human self will admit that they are indeed part of the perfection of life as it is. I can choose to be annoyed or I can choose peace. I can choose to suffer, or I can accept the fact that, at this time, I will enjoy the day more if I simply cooperate with what is and move indoors. I could actually choose to be thankful they are on the job, and appreciate the reminder that it is probably time for me to move into the next phase of my own day, doing what is mine to do. If I really allow myself to be fully receptive to see Good in all things, I could even take their presence as an obvious and abundant demonstration that "The Father knows" what we need before we ask, because I probably would not have thought to ask for them. 

In this perfect moment, I offer a prayer of thanks, a moment of gratitude that Life in itself is, as it is, perfect. I give thanks for this glorious and blessed opportunity to shift my human thought from annoyance and resentment to gratitude and appreciation. Perhaps by the time the mosquitoes show up, I'll be ready to bless them, as well. We'll see.

 **************