If we are honest with ourselves, we know that in addition to being asleep at night, we can also be asleep during the day. It is very easy to go through our days being good people and doing what we are “supposed” to do. But to really live life requires a much greater desire—a desire for genuine fulfillment that we constantly need to build.
To really live is to wake up and inject new energy into each day. In practice, this means recognizing what our individual gifts are, using them, and sharing them with the world. But we cannot accomplish this unless we first are able to cultivate appreciation—to consciously work to see the good in ourselves and in others.
Don’t get me wrong. It’s not always easy to do this. Sadness can be one of the greatest roadblocks to our transformation. But when we fall into despair, we become disconnected from the Light and we lose our clarity. We cannot access the information that is there for us. We cannot read the signs; we do not get the messages. They are everywhere—these messages and these signs—but oftentimes, we are unable to see them because we are so caught up in ourselves and our negativity.
When we look back on our life, we shouldn’t have to regret that we didn’t do more; we are always capable of doing more with the gifts and talents we have been given. The time will come for all of us when we will look back and ask: Did I do enough? Did I share my gifts? Was there a place where I could have done more?
The point is always to appreciate but never to be satisfied. We are here to do the work of our soul, and there is always a higher level we can strive for in our spiritual transformation.
