An Illusion

June 18, 2009

Dear Fellow Travelers,
This is another quote from de Mello’s book, “Awareness” (p. 51): “Anytime you have a negative feeling toward anyone, you’re living in an illusion. There’s something seriously wrong with you. You’re not seeing reality. Something inside of you has to change. But what do we generally do when we have a negative feeling? ‘He is to blame, she is to blame. She’s got to change.’ No! The world’s all right. The one who has to change is you.”
de Mello went on to point out that he was not suggesting that we should do nothing when an obvious wrong has been committed; instead, he was suggesting that we should act, but with objectivity, which negative emotions prevent.
Again, whether or not you agree with de Mello is not my concern, but I do trust that you will take a moment to evaluate how your own negative emotions cloud your objectivity, and in the end, cause negative reactions, rather than positive responses.
I do think it is time for us to stop blaming others for the things that produce negative feelings, and I, certainly, think it is time for us to realize that the only person we can change is, well, I think you know. If you do not, look into the mirror.
Of this I am convinced: neither God nor man is too concerned about my or your happiness, so it would behoove each of us to get over ourselves. God is not concerned about our happiness because He has a much higher dream for us; namely, that we find ultimate fulfillment in His Son. Man is not concerned about our happiness because he is too busy trying to adjust his own circumstances, so he will be happy.
May we get past the illusion-