Posted by Jill Whalen | Posted in Relationships, Spirituality, Thought | Posted on 03-23-2016
Tags: 3 Principles, Forgiveness, Love, Surrender
[Jill’s Note: If you prefer to listen rather than read, please scroll to the bottom of this post for the audio version.]
Last summer someone close to me acted in a manner that based on my values and belief system, I deemed as wrong and unnecessary. For an entire evening as well as throughout the night, my thoughts about the situation were out of control. I woke up the next day and my head felt like it was about to explode. My understanding of how life works had me telling myself “It’s just thought,” but it did nothing to ease the pain I was in. While unsuccessfully trying to distract myself via my iPad, I received an email that was a summary of a talk called “Trusting Others and A Course in Miracles” given by Marianne Williamson. The topic of trust didn’t seem related to my situation, but I clicked over to read it anyway.
What happened next, was nothing short of a Miracle.
Every word I read on that page seemed to be speaking directly to me, and tears began streaming down my face. This paragraph in particular, really hit home:
“I can choose what I intend to see, and when we choose to see the innocence in another person, the Course says this is an act of self-interest, and a gentle reinterpretation of the world. And when we gently reinterpret into miracle mindedness, we see all human behavior as either love, which obviously calls for love to be returned, or as a call for love. In the moment we behave like jerks, the spirit is saying ‘I’m trapped in here. Love me. Because if you condemn me in this place, I’m only going to be worse.’” – Marianne Williamson
All at once, my head cleared and I felt nothing but love for the person who only moments before I felt only anger, sadness and hopelessness. I remained in that loving state for the rest of the day, and whatever “bad situation” I thought I was in, completely vanished into thin air.
Many months later I found myself starting to get mad about something else that had occurred with this person. But this time, it wasn’t bothering me in the same way as the previous time. While I was annoyed, I was also able to see the “innocence” in the other–that they were hurting and simply acting from that state of mind. By looking at it differently, that space of unconditional love that I had previously glimpsed, came back to me. I saw very clearly the Truth of the situation. And in that space, my True Self (that which is beyond my personal thought) wrote the following…
Unconditional Love Letter to the Other’s True Self
No matter what you do or say, no matter how much you test it, no matter how unlovable you think you are or try to appear, I have seen past it to your True Self which is pure love. Whatever thoughts you put on top of it, and whatever actions you take–is not You. The Real You is worthy and lovable and perfect. It’s only thoughts which know nothing of what is Real that say otherwise. You have nothing to prove. You don’t need to do or be anything other than who You already are to be worthy of, and to receive Love.
When I see through my thoughts which try to obscure my own true nature of pure love, I am able to see through yours as well. When my true self Sees your true self, I feel nothing but compassion, love and understanding. And I see nothing but a being so worthy of love that it makes my heart ache and fall wide open.
YOU are seen. YOU are known. I see YOU now and know who you truly are. Nothing you do or say can take that away.
Someday you will SEE yourself as I have seen you. And when you do, you will Know. You will know that you are a perfect soul with imperfect (human) thoughts and feelings. You will know that you are worthy of love because you already are perfect love. And you won’t need any other (imperfect) human being to validate this for you.
I Love You now and forever.
—
While I wish I could say that I always live in that space of unconditional love, I don’t. But re-reading the letter which clearly didn’t come from “me” brings me a little bit closer to it. Knowing that the space many “gurus” talk about actually exists, and knowing what it feels like to be in it gives me a clue to what is possible. And it only just occurred to me that when Sydney Banks said, “Listen for a feeling,” that’s the one he was talking about.
Have you ever experienced some moments of true unconditional love? I’d love to hear about it!
–Jill
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