This was an interesting week within the Master Key Experience and one that really expanded my mind based on the exercises. One exercise consisted of us reading an obituary every day throughout the week and the other was that there was no assigned lesson specific to this week as we were to revisit 9 & 10 on Monday and Tuesday, and then we were able to choose which lesson to go back through the rest of the days.
One confession I have is that I did not prepare what lessons I was going to read and found myself “struggle” to do a read & sit every day this week. My eyes were opened to the lesson learned when I met with my Men’s group this week. A retired military gentleman in my group had opened up regarding parts in his life where he feels he has failed. What I resonated with, specifically to this assignment, was when he mentioned that those in the military are not prepared when they retire, to come into the world of civilians. He mentioned that while in the military, they are constantly being prepared for the next mission and being directed on what they are to do. After living that way for however many years they are in service, life becomes a complete 180 on how they go about their daily life. He mentioned his identity was gone and he simply wasn’t prepared for life outside the military.
Although my case is no where as extreme, I found myself in a similar situation. Every week we are directed to read a particular lesson. This week’s lesson(s) were an option we chose, and I was unprepared as I wasn’t guided to what lessons I should focus on for the week. However, the experience here teaches us not to be led, but to lead ourselves, and not to be told what to think, but how to think. We are always in control of our life and are not a victim of circumstance. Our victories and failures are because of the choices we make (or don’t make) and my results this week were simply because I chose not to be prepared.
The other exercise was reading an obituary every day. It was a bit timely that it happened to be this week as it was the anniversary of someone I care for deeply who lost her brother at a young age. Life is precious, it is a gift. It is meant to be lived with joy, happiness, gratitude and one of service to others. One thing I am so grateful for in this experience is that the more I plug into the exercises, the more present I become on a day-to-day basis. It’s made me realize how I was simply coasting through most of my life and how I have taken in more of my life in the past 3 months than I have in the past 45 years. I find it intriguing how people always seem to take a step back when a loved one dies, sometimes swearing that we are going to make a change in our life, then go back to the way we have always been. I found myself wondering as I read through different obituaries, did these people truly live?
Life is an amazing present when we become present to what it has to offer, or more so, what we have to offer. Give more, get more, but at the same time, BE. There is a purpose for every single one of us here. We are all nature’s greatest miracle, and it’s important that we always remember to make the most of our time here and positively impact as many lives as we can. There is no better way to do that, than to be present, and to be the present. I saw an encouraging sign on a car the other day. It stated: “I hope something good happens to you today.” It’s a beautiful statement and a reminder that WE can always be the good that happens to someone today.
Yes, Dan, being here now is a gift! 🙂
BE. Thank you
Wow, Dan, you sure nailed it this week! What an amazing share this is. You truly are becoming that harmonious self-directed thinker that helps change the world for the better — and helping others do the same!