Poted by Akkarin on behalf of Zenchi
The Beacon
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdBym7kv2IM
My life has been pretty crazy, some of it I wouldn't ask on my worst enemy (surprisingly enough I have none at the current time, which is a first in my life.) I can't possibly claim to have experienced any more pain and suffering than any one individual. My demons are my own, and I deal with them every day, most of the time I win, but not always.
For quite some time, I couldn't see the light at the end of the tunnel, there was little point of waking up the next day. In all honesty, I'm surprised I'm still breathing. Was it divine intervention, probably not. It certainly wasn't for the lack of effort, as I've attempted suicide three separate times.
The majority of my suffering originated because I allowed the opinions of others to influence by being and sense of self worth, and thus I failed to comprehend that I possessed the ability to change myself and the world around me. Then there was the murder of a very close friend who was as close to a brother I've ever had, was the most traumatic event in my life and left me in a pit for quite some time.
Life is not always a "happy experience." For the majority reading this, you probably don't fully comprehend how good you have it. We all have those moments that test us, and whatever faith we may have. Not every day can be a good day, and when things don't go as planned, things can easily feel as if they're spiraling out of control.
Do you have a little money in the bank? Some change in your pocket? Food on the table tonight, a roof over your head? Congratulations, you are 80% richer than the rest of the human population. As bad as we may think we think we have it some days, there is ALWAYS someone out there in the world who more than likely has it MUCH worse than you can imagine.
And yet it's not so easy, Is it? We are bombarded day after day with news of more chaos, more negitivity, more drama, and more despair. The world seems to be filled with it, with no end in sight. We either block it out and turn it off by switching the channel, or we become numb to it all.
Another shooting, another statistic. Another storm or fire forcing people from their homes, another Vet on the street with no shoes on their feet. The world's climate is changing due to global warming....A person can become lost in the madness that has become "reality." It is times like these that I am reminded of the twelfth Jedi Principle, and my reply to it given while completing the initiates program.
Jedi principle #12- "Jedi believe that love and compassion are central to their lives. We must love and care for each other as we must love and care for ourselves; by doing this we envelop all life in the positivity of our actions and thoughts. We are providers and beacons of hope."
My personal take on it- "Jedi are essentially their own torches, their own miniature suns. They have to be. There is far too much despair, doubt and chaos running throughout the world we live in. A Jedi who hasn't found that inner light within themselves will become another statistic in life, one way or another. You can't be of much service to others if your having difficulty with your own problems, whether they be internal or external..."
I still to this day have a hard time acknowledging that I wrote that, as I am not at all Jedi like, or perhaps I have very high expectations. It has reminded me when things in life seem to spiral out of control (momentarily) that someone not only has it much worse than I do, but also that it takes very little to make a huge difference in someone else's life.
As bad as you think you may have it, you have the power to dramatically improve someone else's life, through the purest of intention and the simplest of actions. It doesn't take much to put a smile on someone's face, lifting their spirits and assisting them in forgetting about how bad things might be, you may even begin to view the problems In your daily life through a new perspective as a result. Remember, perspective IS everything to a Jedi.
The world is filled with chaos, destruction and negativity, it can also be pretty beautiful in places. Given all the destruction going on in the cosmos, it's actually not a bad place to live. We can either become products of our society, or awaken to the truth that we posses the power to change lives for the better.
We all want a better world, and we possess the ability to make it a better place, even if it is just helping the people around us in some small way. You have a fire inside you, will you allow the world around you to snuff it out and become another statistic, or will you feed it, be the Light in someone else's life and be the change you so want in the world?
Shine on Jedi, Shine on...
