Paradise by John Cali

The definition of “paradise,” to many folks I know, is where they live — or where they wish they lived. What does that word mean to you?
John Cali

As I mentioned in last week’s newsletter, I live in a remote area populated by more wild animals than humans. It’s a beautiful place. But we have such potentially dangerous animals as rattlesnakes, mountain lions, and grizzly bears. (Though I’ve never run into any of those in all the years I’ve been here.)

But neither do we have poisonous pollution, crazy traffic, high crime rates, etc. Just lots of beautiful mountains and valleys. And tranquility. I love the sounds of silence.

Does that sound like paradise to you? I love it here, and to me it is paradise. But not the paradise I always thought I was looking for.

Here’s Spirit.
Spirit

We delight in watching humans as they go about their daily lives. We feel a great bond with you, for we too have experienced life in physical form. Life is a gift, a rare gift whether you’re in physical or nonphysical form. We urge you to cherish and honor it, in all its forms.

We especially urge you to cherish it in yourselves. Cherish and honor yourselves, always and in all ways. Look for all the ways you can nurture yourselves — ways you can honor your bodies, minds, and spirits.

Then look for ways you can nurture and honor the people in your lives — all people, not just those you love. Even strangers. Take a moment or two when you encounter a stranger to give him or her a smile, a kind “Hello”. Make eye contact and in your heart wish them love.

Then take your caring out beyond the humans into the world of nature. Wherever you may live, in the city or the country, you can find the world of nature — the trees, the grass, the earth itself. Pay attention to all these, and be grateful for the gifts they are.

Then extend your caring and nurturing out to the animals of your world, wild and domestic. They too are great gifts to you from the Great Spirit.

Honor, cherish, and nurture all life. You don’t have to travel to distant lands, to faraway places, to exotic environments. If you can travel, wonderful. But you don’t have to travel to find joy, beauty, and peace. All of that exists right where you are now.

Be content with where you are now. Be grateful for it. Appreciate it. Love it.

When you can do all this, friends, you won’t have to look far to find the paradise you’ve always longed for.

Paradise is right there where you are. Paradise is all around you. Paradise is within you. Paradise is wherever you are.

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Do you believe, as Spirit said, you can find paradise anywhere?
We want to hear from you!