There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look at a pear tree that was a great distance away.
The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in summer, and the youngest son in the fall.
When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe what they had seen.
The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted. The second son said no, it was covered with green buds and full of promise.
The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.
The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.
The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because hey had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.
He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season, and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that
come from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.
If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring, the beauty of your summer, and the fulfillment of your fall.
luv/luck.happiness
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Light Play: Knowing Joy-Recognizing the Good in Every Situation
To experience joy is to know that the universe is friendly, and that it is always working for and with you. Think of a current situation you do not like in your life, and recognize the good in it by doing the following:
1. Believe that you have created this situation to learn from, even if it seems that you have nothing to do with its creation.
2. Affirm that the universe is perfect, and that it is always working for you.
3. Sound your soul's note of joy, and decide that you will grow with joy rather than through struggle or pain in this area.
4. Say to yourself, "This situation is offering me many blessings and opportunities to grow stronger and more whole within."
5. Think of at least one soul quality (patience, love, forgiveness, humility, compassion, and so on) that you are more able to express since you drew this situation to you.
6. Send your love and forgiveness to anyone involved.
7. Love and forgive yourself for having created this.
8. Make a picture that you will experience the peace, joy, and serenity of your soul in this area, no matter how the situation evolves or changes.
9. See yourself gaining these soul qualities and learning your lessons through joy in the future.
Light Play: Creating Joy-Focusing on the Positive
You can grow through joy by appreciating and focusing on all the good things you have in your life. Answer these:
1. I appreciate these wonderful qualities in myself:
2. List at least three things you appreciate about your life, that you can acknowledge that you have created.
3. Write down at least three things in your life that are going well, that you feel good about.
4. Acknowledge several good things about yourself—your body, emotions, mind— that you appreciate.
5. Think of a friend or loved one. Acknowledge several good qualities or aspects of this person that you like and appreciate. Mention these to this person the next time you see him or her.
6. Reflect on an important relationship. Think of or list at least two aspects of your relationship that are working well for you.
7. Notice how good you feel as you appreciate and acknowledge all the good in your life. As you do, you are sounding your soul's note of joy, adding more joy to your life and to the world.
By: Sanaya Roman and Duane Packer, Orin and DaBen,
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