"Allow the world to live as it chooses,
and allow yourself to live as you choose."
-- Richard Bach
I heard it when I was a kid: 'Live and let live.' I never saw it in practice. It was one of those things people say that I call 'idealisms.' So, most all of my life, I've stood in judgement of others behavior, while pretending to not be critical. Of course, I've stubbed my toe on that many times through living and trying to become a better person, especially a more loving person. It wasn't without a certain amount of success, so it has been progress.
Then, I started picking up pieces here and there. Richard Bach is an example, and Gerald Jampolsky, Leo Buscaglia, Dr. Thomas Harris (I'm Okay, You're Okay), Wayne Dyer, Eric Berne, and others. Each was added to the other and my perspective was improved. Yet, it wasn't until 2007 when I one day bought The Secret Audio by Rhonda Byrne, that opened my mind to the idea of the Law of Attraction that it all started coming together for me. That book, led me by studying the various participants in that work to Jerry & Esther Hicks. It was here that I learned so much more about the idea of the Law of Attraction, but something even better in what they called the Law of Allowing, and they also call it the Art of Allowing, and I think the latter speaks more to the heart of it. It is this concept that I have wanted to learn the most because in essence it is peace.
I love how Wayne Dyer puts it: "Love is the ability and willingness to allow those that you care for to be what they choose for themselves without any insistence that they satisfy you." That, of course, is the essence and activity of unconditional love. And, it is from unconditional love that allowing exists, bringing it all full circle and so plain and simple as the most fundamental truths are.
I practice it daily, and am not perfected in it, yet progress is evident. It is indeed a challenge sometimes to let go and allow, especially when I think I know better, but I have to do as Jennifer Aniston says below and let a mirror be held up to me. As I see that I am a work in progress, I must also accept that others are as well. Maybe they want to learn what I've learned, and maybe not. It doesn't matter. I am learning to love them in their choice for themselves, whatever that choice is.
If I look at it as if we all came here on purpose to have certain experiences, it is easier to then allow them to have what they came to experience while I accept my own. And, since I believe that we are all from the same source, though appearing to be so different sometimes, that encourages me to allow and love even more.
Yet there is one other way I've seen this as well. It is called the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. And, I would have to add to that line, and then, let them choose for themselves.
"True Love Brings Up Everything--You're Allowing A Mirror To Be Held Up To You Daily."
-- Jennifer Aniston
Spread Some Joy Today--"Joy is what happens to us when we allow ourselves to recognize how good things really are." -- Marianne Williamson
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