This will be my last column of 2023. Imagine, another year has run its course. It feels like we were welcoming it in only a few months ago.
There was a wonderful performer named Louis Armstrong. He was an amazing trumpet player. He could hit notes that were so high that other trumpeters could not duplicate them.
He was extremely talented, with a very unusual, gravelly voice, but he was actually an excellent singer.
Of all the songs he recorded and all the jazz he recorded, the most popular, by far, was a song that he sang– a sweet song called ‘What a Wonderful World.’
And the words are quite sacred. “I see trees of green, red roses, too. I watch them bloom for me and for you. And I think to myself, ‘What a wonderful World.'”
In the middle of the song, he sings, “I see friends shaking hands saying, ‘How do you do?’ They’re really saying, ‘I love you.'” This is quite true.
Something has changed. Now, in our world, if you’re open to it, it’s more possible and more comfortable to express love directly to people. There was a time not too long ago that one hesitated to say to another “I love you” – it was not something that was said openly.
Those times have changed. It is now quite possible to let people that you know—know how much you love them. It’s now more acceptable. It isn’t corny or inappropriate to tell people you love how you feel about them. It does something to them, and it does something to you.
There are times when a stranger would not understand. So, maybe just a smile or a “Good morning!” as you walk by.
A silent “I love you” touches everyone at a deep cellular level, even though they do not hear the words spoken, just the energy, vibration, or frequency of those words resonates throughout them.
Each little connection between you and another person widens the world in which you live and makes our world safer and safer.
And, most often, we miss the opportunity to do just this. If you just walk by a person and look down (you look at your phone, they look at theirs), you could act like no one just passed by.
Or, you could say, “Good morning.” And, you’ll find that the person is quite aware of you there – even though they are acting like they are not.
When you say, “Good morning,” they will often say, “Good morning” back and smile. Some little openings have been made on another level. Our beloved Marcia knows this to be true, as we have often exchanged words to this effect.
Whether you are aware of it or not, this happens to you all the time. Your guidance, guardian angels, or Higher Self, no matter your behavior or chosen lifestyle, always say, “Good morning or good evening or night.”
They are saying, “We love you” in little ways– butterflies that pass by, beautiful flowers, the sound of the hummingbird drinking from your feeders, the clouds above you, the stars winking at you as you look up at the night sky or the half moon resting on its side smiling back at you… little coincidental happenings.
And you realize that “Oh, if I’m open to it, the Universe is winking at me all the time. Isn’t this lovely?” And, you take a breath and relax. And, what you’re left with is, “I’m actually connected, and I’m taken care of in miraculous ways.”
Every moment, every breath is this gift of life, and you can pay it forward. You can extend this love freely given to you, always available, and the more you re-gift it to everyone you meet, the more you receive in return.
You can expand your circle of friends to not just include people who think like you or look like you– but to everyone.
Widen your family and unite as this brotherhood/sisterhood of love because that’s what you are. Those are all aspects of you waiting to be accepted and loved.
This is how you love yourself. This is how you love others. This is how we love you. This is how you love us. It’s all love.
Thank you, Dr. Jim, and also to our wonderful ACIM collective and the infinite guidance that is always there waiting for us to be open to receive.
