Friday, January 16, 2004

More from Conversations with God

I finished book one of Conversations with God yesterday. Overall I thought it was really an excellent book. (Certainly good enough that I'll hopefully get around to reading the two that come after it.) I'd strongly recommend it. I thought it had some particularly good things to say on the subject of relationships:

"Relationships are constantly challenging; constantly calling you to create, express, and experience higher and higher aspects of yourself, grander and grander visions of yourself, ever more magnificent versions of yourself. Nowhere can you do this more immediately, impactfully, and immaculately than in relationships. In fact, without relationships, you cannot do it at all." (pg. 121)

A major point following this is very interesting because it seems counterintuitive at first but then makes sense. The advice given is not to focus on the other person in a relationship, but rather on your Self. Concentrate on being the best person you can be. Naturally, this will involve paying attention to the other person as well, but it keeps the focus where it will do the most good, because you can have a greater effect on yourself than on anyone else. See problems not as obstacles but as opportunities to express your highest Self. Instead of getting upset and disillusioned from the inevitable difficulties, find the best and highest way you can respond to them.

"Never do anything in a relationship out of a sense of obligation. Do whatever you do out of a sense of the glorious opportunity your relationship affords you to decide, and to be, Who You Really Are." (pg. 138)

This has been yet another case where I find myself reading or learning something I wish I had known two or three years ago. Oh well. I suppose I'm probably learning it better this way.

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