The “Unholy” Trinity-Part 1

(Reprints)

(Writer’s Note: I started my Blog on WordPress in February of 2026. Now, as I have started also posting on Substack, let me take this opportunity to reintroduce myself to people who really don’t know who I am, or what I am about. So, here is another of my “Reprints”, essays/articles I wrote, but you may have missed! Think of this as reruns of a beloved TV show that you never got a chance to watch the first time. Enjoy, and get inspired.)

From March 9th, 2026:

On to obstacles to the Approaches to Life I have been posting about. I encourage you to go back and read, if you are new here. I am saying there are three Approaches, obviously there may be others that resonate with you more. But I have found in my praying, reading, meditating, that these three seem to be very profound and basic. They are easy to remember, and I want to give you, dear reader, “things you can take away”. I want to give you “Tools for the Road”. If you have young children, you know you have to pack diapers, snacks, favorite toys, etc. I believe your Inner Life is the same, you need things you can use as you navigate life on Planet Earth. Now, many others have said it better, and in better ways!

As I wrote in “What’s it All About?” I hope to say things in a different way that will help you hear things you heard many times before for the first time. I want you to find this Alignment, or deepen into it. I think it will change your life! But as we delve deeper into these matters, we of course will bump into things we can not explain, fix, or easily comprehend. We will wrestle, and limp away at times, as Jacob did, but have newness in our souls. (Genesis 32, Hebrew Scriptures)

The phrase “Unholy” Trinity is truly meant comically, so don’t be offended if you worship the Triune God! But I do believe these three things: Ego, Expectation, and Myths trip us up, and cause us to be “un-whole” in ourselves as we relate to others. They take us out of a “Trinitarian Flow,” if we come from a Christian perspective, and hence become an “Unholy” Trinity. If that is not your perspective, these three still will cause you problems, if mishandled and left misdirected. (There are plenty of other things–but again, these three seem to be predominate in my reflections.)

To recap a bit, these Approaches are a way to look at life and respond to it. Openness is to have an open mind to “God” and divine things and other people. We can be nice, gentle and kind with spouses, children, and co-workers. We really can. Be open to what the Universe is bringing to you, teaching you, and giving you.

Lightness is something I take from Jesus instructions to take His “yoke” on us, a burden that is light. I internalized this to be a way we become “lighter” in ourselves, less fixated on our inner life, needs, wants, etc. We can have a deeper lightness in our souls, if we can let God/Divine Flow show us, lead us, and guide us.

Alignment, the third Approach, has a more mystical component to it. I believe it just is, we receive it, and we choose it. I spoke about the the Great Flow of the Universe, and used the metaphor of a sailing ship needing to have it’s sails adjusted to catch the “wind” of God’s Spirit. Aligning with Love (the name of the Blog) is about receiving and absorbing God’s love filling the Universe, and carrying that love into the world.

Aligning with Love is to be a more loving Presence in the world.

Of course these Approaches don’t seem easy to do or be! We get opinionated, and weighed down in our hearts. We may not be sure about any Love-Flow, Great Flow, God, Divine Being, and such. So how can we ever Align with anything, let alone love, or God?

I think there are ways we can, and ways that help. The Love-Flow is drawing us in. God is parting our individual “Red Seas”, like in the Biblical book of Exodus. The metaphor has been used before, I believe in 12-Step Practice, of seeing a blank wall, or being trapped in a room with no obvious door, and suddenly there is seemingly a door. A way out is shown–a way forward is made. (“Big Book” of Alcoholics Anonymous)

So, the first Obstacle in the Approaches to life, that trip us up, is our own egos. Ego, as described in the dictionary is: “the self, especially as contrasted with another self, or the world”. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/ego

I know there are voluminous writings on the word from a psychological perspective, and I am not a psychologist. I will define ego for the purposes of these writings/teachings as simply “your personal wants for life in a given situation, or your preferences”. You like a particular color, I like blue. You like Fall over Summer. You may like to wear your hair a certain way, or use makeup. I like cheeseburgers. I want Spring to come, (when I wrote this). I want more people to read my blog, etc.

There’s no “morals” to these-these are just very basic human tendencies. Obviously the preferences/wants can get more elaborate: I want to work in this industry, go to college, live in Paris, marry so-and-so, or be single, on and on. But, we know that our egos soon bump into other’s egos! We can’t agree on what movie to watch tonite on Netflix, a suburban, and unimportant “battle”, but one that happens. Pizza or Chinese tonite? Do I agree with Democrats or Republicans in the USA? Where do I want to live? What does my pocketbook allow me to do, or do I swipe a card, if I even have one?

Others live much more challenging lives: I don’t want to get shot today, or beat again. I don’t know what rights might be taken from me today, or how I will be treated because of my skin color, ethnicity, apparent religious affiliation, nationality and the like. Some of us have the luxury to have very mundane ego concerns, others of us are hoping to survive another day!

Whether it is “dumb” stuff, or life and death–our egos our interacting and colliding. When it’s minor things, we must recognize our ego, and hold it with some lightness. Things we learned in Kindergarten, or should have learned, come back: sharing, letting the other person have a turn. We may laugh as an adult, but did you let that person out onto the road that was trying to exit the parking lot? Or were you too busy “getting there”?

If we are a person of means, did we donate a dime to anything? Did we give away things we no longer needed to someone less fortunate? Have we stopped to notice anything around us other than our day, our job, and our next vacation? I’m not saying you can’t enjoy life, or enjoy money you worked hard for! But the disheveled guy on the street corner with the cardboard sign asking for a few bucks-what did you do for him? It’s easy to drive by. “Have to get to work,” and I “don’t know their situation”, etc. But in that moment, our ego has said: “I don’t have time. I don’t want to get involved. It might be dangerous.” All may be true. But the guy with the sign- his ego says: “I just want to get a sandwich. I am cold and tired. I had a job and home, and that and that happened, and here I am. ” Maybe he is scamming-maybe not.

Aligning with love means taking chances and taking some risks, it means caring.

You might be on the “other side”, the one who’s ego wants the basics, because everyone else’s egos has prevented your’s from having any voice. I am sorry the world is this way! (And that sentence is woefully inadequate to express my sorrow at your trauma, hurts, and ongoing pain.) Too many hearts have no Alignment in them with the right things, only False Alignment within themselves, which isn’t real Alignment at all! I can only do my part–and writing this blog is part of it. Aligning with love is to not ignore the needs of others, but to meet them! Excess is not for hoarding, but for disbursing. (My own ego just gulped, writing that.) So, I have work to do–being the “Align With Love” guy means confronting my own selfishness in my interactions with others, and where I do not share my own excess!

Watch yourself-observe yourself. Look for your “ego moments”. Some of it is fine-some of it needs to be discussed. Some of it needs to be discarded, and let go. Have some Openness and Lightness with yourself to notice where you became rigid in preferences, beliefs, and attitudes. Your ego needs a regular trip out into the sunlight! If you are religious-you know the Psalmist’s request:

Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts.

 See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139: 23-24, NIV)

If you are not religious, you can still self-reflect. You can still ask: What am I wanting to have happen here? What does the other person want or need? Try asking. You can do this whether you are religious or have some other spiritual practice, too! It is amazing to me how selfish I can still be, in so many things. God help me to see myself better, to be more Aligned with your Love!

Notice those who’s egos just want (need) the basics: food, shelter, clothing.

Do something, if you can. Make yourself do something.

Next, I will talk about the 2nd Member of this trinity: Expectations. That one is a doozy! And I will get to how we can start to overcome these-stay tuned.

Like what you read? Let me know-I appreciate your feedback.

-Eric, the Wordsmith

BP56-R12

Have thoughts or comments? You can click on the comment link, or you can email me at the address provided. Have ideas you want me to write about, or questions? Want to tell me how much you enjoy (or don't enjoy) my content? All are acceptable, but be nice, please. Thanks! alignwithlove85@gmail.com.

Alignment

(Reprints: Part 3 of Approaches to Life)

(Writer’s Note: I started my Blog on WordPress in February of 2026. Now, as I have started also posting on Substack, let me take this opportunity to reintroduce myself to people who really don’t know who I am, or what I am about. So, here is another of my “Reprints”, essays/articles I wrote, but you may have missed! Think of this as reruns of a beloved TV show that you never got a chance to watch the first time. Enjoy, and get inspired.)

From March 2, 2026:

Now for the 3rd Approach–and this one will get mystical. I perceive Alignment as something that simply “is”, partly something you receive, and partly something you “do”. As in, Align with Love.

I have been journaling, musing, and reflecting on the notion of Alignment for many years. Let’s start with what the dictionary says Alignment is. One definition is “the proper positioning or state of adjustments”, or “a forming in line“, as in being lined up. Another is “an arrangement of … forces in relation to one another.“ https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/alignment

I want to be very careful here to say that I do NOT believe Alignment means you have to be in some perfect state of being! As I processed this in my own soul, I wrestled with the idea of being “just right”. I live in a world of precision as an accountant. Numbers have to match, be accurate, and agree with one another. When you have OCD, you believe things have to be “just right” to feel peaceful. But Alignment as I am imagining it, is NOT that.

Alignment is a fundamental aspect of the universe–

things, people, situations need to “line up” in order to flow, function, and be harmonious.

I am NOT talking about everyone agreeing/believing exactly the same things. We know in history there are numerous examples of people enforcing a False Alignment on others, demanding they bend the knee to some ideology or doctrine. I am talking about a deeper, True Alignment, beneath what we see and experience, that I think is even deeper than our perceptions. Deep.

I believe there is a “Great Flow” to the Universe, a Love-Flow, which is how God is manifesting Himself/Herself/Itself in everything everywhere. Religious folk will recognize this, non-religious folk will be skeptical, and rightfully so, but please play along. I imagine a Great River, illuminated with Light, glowing and flowing, becoming what God has intended all along for the Universe. I don’t think this negates our choices, but contains them. I am getting into deep waters that are outside my scope as a non-theologian layperson. But, we don’t have to have doctorates to live well, be decent human beings, or be Aligned with this Love-Flow. No disrespect to those more learned!

I already talked about being Open and Light. These two Approaches create space. Alignment fills that space. God aligns you, and you cooperate, not by “trying hard”, or following commandments, but by allowing yourself to be Aligned. We may not like the notion of some Supreme Being “aligning” us, but again, it is not a forcing on the Being’s part, but a receiving and absorbing of God’s love. The sunlight hits your face, and it just falls on you. You feel it’s warmth, and it caresses you. If this seems hard to grasp, consider how at some point, we all experienced some form of love, maybe a parent (hopefully), maybe a friend, or a romantic relationship. We felt something from that person, or for that person, and we took actions, actions of love. We asked them out, we cleaned our room, we visited them in the hospital, or we made sure they were fed and clothed, if you are a parent.

In other words, we aligned with their love for us, or our love for them, and we acted accordingly.

Somewhere, somehow, we felt love or warmth for someone, and aligned with them. We may have formalized it and gotten married. We may just have a buddy we watch soccer matches with, but in these examples, we had some alignment with that other person based on common interests, common feelings, shared experiences, etc.

We know the power of alignment in shared beliefs and causes. Reciting the Serenity Prayer with a group of fellow addicts can be powerful. Praying the Lord’s Prayer, or some other established saying in unison with others, can be very powerful, even is we might not fully agree with the saying!

I imagine also on this River of Flowing Light, being on a sailboat, as shown in the blog picture for this post. I am not a sailor, and do not know how to be one, but I know you have to adjust your sails to catch the wind. You must align with the wind, or be buffeted by it. Likewise, you must adjust your rudder to align with the current. (Yes, I know with a motor, you can by-pass all this–but there is still “drag” and it’s not as efficient. It is more work to not go with the current and wind.)

Even Jesus, in his famous encounter with Nicodemus in John’s Gospel declares: The wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going… (Jn 3:8, NLT) Jesus plays with the metaphor of wind, relating it to the Spirit of God, and I am imagining it similarly. Will we align with that Wind-Spirit, that we can’t “see”, but can sense?

When we choose to be unloving, stubborn, un-open, and not living with lightness, we go against what I wrote earlier: the Alignment that is a fundamental aspect of the Universe. Of course I can’t “prove” this. But I believe it. I hope you, dear reader, will play along. Even if you can’t buy into my notion of the universe, can you at least consider that being kinder, gentler, and loving is better for the world?

I believe there is a way to live in harmony with this Great Flow of the Universe. There is a way to be Aligned with God/Spirit/Other Being–and that way is to Align with Love. Starting with Openness to others, Lightness with yourself, and receiving/being/practicing Alignment. It is a way to have peace inside your soul, true friendship with others, and connection with the Divine. I probably am not able to articulate this as well as I would like–but I hope you can feel/perceive what I am saying. Deep down–I sense this is so. More than belief–I know. I feel like I always knew and knew I had to share this with others. I had to say it with my own words, so others could hear it and align themselves with God and Love in their own ways.

The Approach of Alignment is recognizing the deep, omnipresence of God and Divine Flow in all situations, regardless of how they may appear to the contrary! At any given moment, your body is doing a myriad of things, from pumping your blood, to receiving all kinds of data from your senses, and you are not fully aware of it. The planet is spinning on it’s axis and hurtling though space and you are not “feeling it’ moment by moment, but you see the sun rise and set, the seasons change, and you believe it is so, because others told you so. I am telling you, I think this is how we can respond to the Spiritual Universe, with these Approaches, as there are unseen and unknown things we can’t hold in our hands, but can only be perceived and partially felt. These things matter, and we ignore them at our peril.

To ignore them, to not be Aligned, to be closed and heavy,

hurts ourselves, others, and the world around us.

Next, I will talk about Obstacles to the Approaches. I want to talk about the “Unholy Trinity” of Ego, Expectations, and Myths. I will continue unpacking Alignment, and what it means, and how to Practice with it. Until then, be kind and gentle, with yourself first, and with others second. Be open, be Light, be Aligned with the deep Divine Love-Flow in this Universe. Believe it IS–even if life told you “no way”. Dare to believe, even if your hopes were long crushed–there is a True and Deep Alignment that you can find, where you will find freedom from the prisons of heart and mind. Trust.

Stay tuned-

Like what you read? Let me know-I appreciate your feedback.

Eric, the Wordsmith

BP55-R10

Have thoughts or comments? You can click on the comment link, or you can email me at the address provided. Have ideas you want me to write about, or questions? Want to tell me how much you enjoy (or don't enjoy) my content? All are acceptable, but be nice, please. Thanks! alignwithlove85@gmail.com.

Lightness

(Reprints: Part 2 of Approaches to Life)

The current image has no alternative text. The file name is: a-summer-leaf-floating-on-still-water.png

(Writer’s Note: I started my Blog on WordPress in February of 2026. Now, as I have started also posting on Substack, let me take this opportunity to reintroduce myself to people who really don’t know who I am, or what I am about. So, here is another of my “Reprints”, essays/articles I wrote, but you may have missed! Think of this as reruns of a beloved TV show that you never got a chance to watch the first time. Enjoy, and get inspired.)

From February 22, 2026:

On to the 2nd Approach, as I am calling these. (See Openness for the first of these three Approaches.) What do I mean by lightness? To start, I draw from my inspiration from words Jesus spoke in Matthew’s Gospel (11:28-30) in the Christian Scriptures:

28 Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.29 Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

I find this to be a touchstone for me. Jesus beckons us to come to Him for rest. This invitation is even more powerful and needed in our hectic, and fast-paced world. If you live in suburban America on the East Coast in New York, you “get it”. But no matter where you live, or your “status” in life, you know you need rest regularly! Then Jesus says to take His yoke on you, and learn from Him. I imagine a farming image of two oxen being yoked to pull a plow or whatever. The yoke binds them and enables them to share the load. This is just my image, and I have not dug into all the scholarly interpretation of this. I am not saying we are oxen–but we all know that a burden shared reduces the load. I know so often I don’t say how I am doing or not doing as I don’t want to “burden” someone! Yes, we do need to be careful who we trust and share with, but if you have people that you can share honestly with in your life-USE them.

My yoke is easy, Jesus says. This is harder to grasp I feel, and doesn’t jive so well with the taking up of our crosses that we Christians hear so often! But I believe with Jesus there is a “flow”, a Life-Flow, a Love-Flow, an Alignment with Him, that He is inviting us into. It is “easy” in a way we do not readily understand, and is light. It has a “lightness” to it. We have to tap into it–but it is readily available!

We can all understand heaviness versus lightness, a feather versus a rock. We get that a leaf is light and floats on water. (Hence, the blog image.) We can also understand heaviness of heart, versus lightness of feeling and being. I believe Jesus invites us all into a Lightness of Being-His Lightness.

Having OCD, I know I am too often not light, not unheavy. I am too filled with my own thoughts, my own feelings, my own opinions. I am too concerned with what others think of me, or are they pleased with me. I am way to often occupied with the “mind-reading” Pete Scazzero talks about in his Emotionally Healthy teachings. He and his wife are doing a great work helping religious folks to be more emotional and spiritually healthy. https://www.emotionallyhealthy.org (Link included. I do not know him personally, or receive any benefit from linking to him.)

So, I am not “light” many times in mind, or in heart, or in action. To return to that image of last week with Reverend Bill Hunter and his outstretched arms, I must be open and receive Lightness. I must receive Lightness of Being, Lightness of Approach. If Openness as I defined it last week was how I approach the world and people in it, Lightness is how I am in myself. Am I taking myself too seriously? Have I made this situation the “end of the world”? I have far-far too much drama in my own head over what I think may happen, or what someone will say or do–that often times (most times) NEVER happens even remotely as I have fantasied it would. Yikes!

For me, Jesus is saying: “Eric, you don’t need to add all this context and projection onto this situation. You can just follow me, and let me show you, guide you, and lead you.” When I allow that into my soul, when I am Open to that, I experience His Lightness.

I recently had a flood in my basement from a torn pool liner that ultimately caused my whole basement to have to be ripped up. (Crazy story.) I was angry that it happened, angry that I had to deal with it, and blaming myself mysteriously that somehow I should have anticipated that happening! I was “in my head”, and of course wondered: Why is God letting this destructive thing happen in my life?

We can get lost in ‘Why?’ Somewhere, someone said to me, or I read it, that we should also ask: “Why not?” If we are in Christian Practice, Jesus said you WILL have trouble in life, not might, will.

“In this…world you will continue to experience difficulties. But take heart! I’ve conquered the world.” John 16: 33, The Message

Flooded basements are part of the Journey. I can do it in my practices with Jesus, yoked and bonded with Him. Or, I can tune Him out and just complain.

We can close ourselves off from whatever Divine Principle we acknowledge.

There was no loss of personal affects. No one died. A floor has to be replaced, lots of cleaning, re-painting, etc. But I did not lose my whole house. My main living space is just fine. I am blessed to be able to afford insurance that will cover this disaster. My life will go on.

But inside my head, it felt like I lost so much more: the peace of my well ordered home, and how I wanted the coming weeks to go. There may yet be unexpected expenses I will incur, who knows? My ego was not allowed to have its way! Nature, and the flakiness of the Universe said: Nope. God allowed this to happen, obviously. He could have directed water elsewhere. I believe He clearly did that in Exodus, and calmed the sea in the Gospels, but He did not do that here! Could it be that as I write these things, I too must learn them more deeply? I thought I was just writing a little blog. I too am learning, right along with you, dear reader!

Regardless–I believe I am on a Journey. This is a Spiritual Journey, that my life takes place in. There are wonderful moments, like getting married, (twice). There are sad moments, like my Father dying suddenly of a heart attack in the height of Covid, and there are sucky moments, like my basement being flooded. In the good, and the bad, I must remember the words of Job in the Jewish Scriptures:

“We take the good days from God—why not also the bad days?” Job 2:10, The Message

In each situation, high and low, I can receive Divine Lightness, and Divine easiness. I can receive God’s flowing love. It doesn’t seem easy–but Jesus says it is. So, I will receive it, and continue with it and in it. I can breathe. I can drop my shoulders, for at least a few minutes. I may feel sad or angry, hurt or bewildered, but I can do it with some Lightness. I conclude with a phrase that has been whispered in my soul for a long time:

Lightness received. Lightness experienced. Lightness directed.

I’ll expand on this more in a later post, but for next week, we’ll move on to the Third Approach: Alignment.

Like what you read? Let me know-I appreciate your feedback.

-Eric, the Wordsmith

PB54-R8

Have thoughts or comments? You can click on the comment link, or you can email me at the address provided. Have ideas you want me to write about, or questions? Want to tell me how much you enjoy (or don't enjoy) my content? All are acceptable, but be nice, please. Thanks! alignwithlove85@gmail.com.

Openness

(Reprints: Part 1 of Approaches to Life)

The current image has no alternative text. The file name is: straight-road-in-a-field-in-the-morning-sun.png

The “Open” Road…

(Writer’s Note: I started my Blog on WordPress in February of 2026. Now, as I have started also posting on Substack, let me take this opportunity to reintroduce myself to people who really don’t know who I am, or what I am about. So, here is another of my “Reprints”, essays/articles I wrote, but you may have missed! Think of this as reruns of a beloved TV show that you never got a chance to watch the first time. Enjoy, and get inspired.)

From February 14, 2026:

I return now to the First of what I call the Three Approaches. I believe these are fundamental ways to frame the world, go into it, and be in it. The genesis of this first one is really from a Pastor name Bill Hunter from some 20-plus years ago. He was a Methodist minister, and pastored my little Reformed church in Shandaken, NY of the USA some years ago. He has since passed away–but his legacy lives on. (Link to obituary below.) Often in his preaching at church, he would extend his arms in a big welcoming embrace, and say emphatically: “Just open yourself to God…”

I always loved that–I can still see his big smile, with large glasses on his aged face. In that moment he was expressing the heart of God, a heart of love. (Remember, I said there would be God-stuff here–please play along.)

What a beautiful posture, what a beautiful approach. He was NOT standing there with arms folded, fists clenched, scowling. He stood there smiling, arms outstretched and welcoming. I can’t honestly tell you much about what he taught me about Scripture, or Christian living. This is not to say that he was not a good teacher, as he was quite learned, well spoken, and very smart.

What I do remember was how he touched my heart, how he touched my soul, and how he showed me how to be welcoming and open to God.

The Reverend Bill Hunter influenced this blog–he helped shape me. He shaped me with a smile and outstretched arms, and an insanely simple message: “Just open yourself to God…”

But what does that mean? “Open yourself”?

A quick search on the web describes ‘open’ like this: allowing access, passage, or a view through an empty space; not closed or blocked up. https://languages.oup.com/google-dictionary-en/ Allowing access, and not closed. When we are open, we allow access to our minds, hearts, and opinions. We allow ourselves to be changed or influenced. We’re not closed to others, we are not closed to others thoughts and opinions. Expanding this, openness can also apply to how we perceive the world: Are we curious, or judgmental? (Ted Lasso) Can we live and let live? Do I enter relationships convinced my way is right, or that my opinion is right?

I am not saying you must throw out cherished beliefs, (religious or otherwise), values, or strong opinions. But can you be open to what others think or believe? If you live in America, you know we have very polarizing politics, and that the openness I am writing about is not the highest value for some! But can we not, each of us, start bringing some openness back? Can we bring some openness back to our tables, our discussions at the ‘watercooler’, our posts, our daily lives?

We know there are billions of us on this Third Planet from the Star Sol. There are numerous beliefs, ideas, interpretations, perceptions, and the like. Can we not simply ask: “What do you think about this?” “How do you see this?” “What is stirred in you by this information/happening/situation?” Can we be polite enough to listen? My dear wife reminds me to listen–not just bide my time until I can make my next point! I am not at times really being open to what my wife is saying–and I was told a long time ago by the Spirit to really listen to her. When I have, we have made better financial decisions, had softer/gentler responses to people, been helpful to people others missed, on and on. This is not just because my wife is amazing (Love you, Honey), but because I chose, and choose, to be open to what she brings to the table.

My wife and I married later in life-me in my 40’s and her in her 50’s, so she lived a 1/2 century before I showed up. How foolish would I be to not listen to her opinions? While some situations demand quick decisive actions, like emergencies, and too much poll-taking can prevent anything from getting done. But giving others a voice, and being open to others needs/desires can foster community, empowerment, and ultimately a more just and whole society, that I think we all really want, deep down inside. More to write on that later.

Consider openness as an approach to have with your significant other, child, co-worker, classmate, neighbor, or friend. Allow some access to their opinion, and yours–not just to label it as wrong or right, but to listen. We are all children of God, I believe. As I wrote in “Transitions” (see earlier post), I believe we are each a beloved Son or Daughter of God. This means each person is valuable, and each viewpoint is valuable. Yes, there must be consensus, and opinions have to sometimes become actions and policies, etc. But we can be nice about it, gentle about it, and kind about it.

Aligning with love starts with openness. It starts with listening-really listening. It starts with not seeing everything, or everyone, as out to frustrate you, hurt you, or taking something from you. It starts with not being angry with other drivers, (if you drive), assuming they are idiots. Maybe that erratic, distracted driver just found out a loved one is in the hospital. Maybe they will lose their job of they are late again, and so blow through a stop sign. (Giving real examples seen from my own commute. ) Can I pause, and listen when my 16 year old son asks me to “hear him out”? Or did I already make up my mind?

Let God/Spirit/Divine Flow do some mind re-making in your thoughts and opinions. We are not always right, have all the information, or have considered every angle. It just isn’t possible. Be open to the universe around you, what might be brought to you, taught to you, and given to you. You might be surprised, when you allow some openness into your heart. Maybe that annoying person is a lot more like you than you thought. Maybe you can be a little less annoying to others, by listening a little more, and hearing how that other person is experiencing life. Yes, we can be annoying to others–I know I can be-my wife tells me so, now and again.

So try it–actually do it, and become it–more open to God, yourself, people, and life.

When next I write my “new” post, I will write about the 2nd Approach: Lightness.

Bill Hunter Obituary 2011

Like what you read? Let me know-I appreciate your feedback.

-Eric, the Wordsmith

PB53-R6

Have thoughts or comments? You can click on the comment link, or you can email me at the address provided. Have ideas you want me to write about, or questions? Want to tell me how much you enjoy (or don't enjoy) my content? All are acceptable, but be nice, please. Thanks! alignwithlove85@gmail.com.

The 4 Components of Life-Part 4

(That no one really told you about)

Rustic dining table with fruit bowl, citrus water, and gold bars
Some examples of Resources: Water, Food, Money….

Welcome again, new Substack subscribers!!

Recapping:

Over the last three weeks, I have been writing a series on how I believe all of life has Four Basic Components. No matter what you are doing, no matter what situation you are in, or who you are with, these four are in play:

1) TIME 2) TASKS 3) RELATIONSHIPS 4) RESOURCES

And why does this matter, I have asked?

It matters because some of the craziness in life we experience is due to NOT having these 4 in balance. We don’t have them in balance, or we are around people who don’t have them in balance, either. If we continue in life oblivious to this, and never reflect on it, we may well be running in multiple directions, never doing what we were “called” to do. We wind up angry and exhausted. We get frustrated with others, and then we might even escape into unhealthy behaviors to cope. This further “unbalances” us!

Balancing these 4 are key to having a life that feels less crazy!

Last week, I wrote on the 3rd Component: Relationships. We all have them. We may not like them all–but we all have them. I went on to say that we live in communities of connection. Such connections create a community of some fashion. It may be by blood, or a shared environment, like your neighborhood, job, or place of worship. I also pointed out why we must seek Alignment in our relationships, as bringing Alignment into our relationships is critical for a better, redeemed, humanity. All of our interactions with others matter, from your spouse, to the clerk at the store.

Now for the finale: Resources.

All Resources have limits.

We all know this–we may be in denial about it sometimes, but it is true. We probably don’t have as many of some resources as we would like, or need, but all of us have some measure of resources. We have air to breathe, and hopefully some access to water, food, shelter, and clothes, and means to acquire these things. I know some will point out that Time is a resource too, and I do not disagree. I simply feel that Time is it’s own thing in my Life Components, and hence why it is broken out separately.

We humans fight over resources! Certainly much war is based on resource needs and wants. Would the U.S. have fought so much in the Middle East were it not for the “black gold” in the sands over there? I know our politicians give more noble reasons, but I personally feel countries want/need resources from other countries, and this defines much of international relationships. But the purpose of this blog is not to dive into political issues.

How about you? You work somewhere to provide a resource you need: money. Yes, hopefully your job is something you enjoy, or are skilled at, or it may just be a means to pay the bills. For example, I work as an accountant. (No, I can not do your taxes, and I get asked that a lot.) I have skill with it, generally like doing it, and like the people I work with. I am paid well to do it. But, writing is something I love far more. Watching those words spill out on to the page (or screen), and somebody getting helped, or gaining insight, or encouraged by my little “wordsmithing”, now that is something special.

In my writing, I hope to become a different kind of resource–one of helpfulness, clarity about issues, and tools for practicing that will change your life. This is a “side-gig”, and as of right now, I do not charge for it. I am not ready to do that–and I know many do charge for access to their material. I’m just not ready for that yet. God will tell me when to update my “business model”.

We both use resources and are a resource to others.

If you are a parent, you are a huge resource, especially to a baby! Young children need all sorts of assistance with everything. Later, teenagers need guidance, direction, and help with “adulting”, like starting a job, and handling their money, etc.

What kind of resource do you want to be?

In the Biblical book of James in the Christian Scriptures, he says:

What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him? If a brother or sister is poorly clothed and lacking in daily food, and one of you says to them, “Go in peace, be warmed and filled,” without giving them the things needed for the body, what good is that? So also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.  (James 2:14-17, ESV)

James is speaking here of the practical application of Faith, but the point is also being made to use our resources for good. I’m sure many people reading this do indeed give to charities, or their church, or do some good in their community. But what else can we do? What else should we do? Do we have eyes to see needs around us, or are we busy getting to our next appointment, or checking our phones? I say this as someone who is an on-the-go New Yorker, with things planned months in advance, and very much “on my phone”. I get it. I too, have to stop and ask where I am “too busy” to be a resource. Do I let my day get too “jammed” to help others?

A tell-tale sign I am not relating rightly to the Resources Component

is my level of irritation if someone needs help.

Yes, we all need boundaries, and I have written right here in this blog about saying “no”. But do we leave room for any “yes’s”? Ouch-that actually hurts to write that–as I stink at it! If you are new to my writings, you will see I do ‘How do I practice?’ pieces to show that I am NOT some guru that has this stuff figured out. I am very much flawed, selfish, and confused, like so many of us. But, I know I can go to God, to prayer, to so many spiritual writings, and now to my beloved on-line community of connection! I actually have vast resources, maybe not monetary ones at the level I want, but human resources. I hope, Dear Reader, I can be such a resource for you!

How do you use the resources that you do have?

What do we spend money on? Like so many of us, I probably spend way too much on Amazon! The modern world has made it easy to buy darn near anything, and have it in a few days, or less. But I forget that such shopping has made “mom and pop” stores obsolete in so many places. It also wiped out getting to know “Bob” at the hardware store, as I just bought the tool online, and went with quick and connection-less shopping. Am I saying to quit Amazon, Shopify, or Uber-Eats, etc? No, but as we choose one resource, we don’t choose another, and there are consequences.

I can honestly say my consumerism is much more based on efficiency than connection. I think somewhere in my head: “I have a blog to write–I do not have time to drive to some store and hunt for a product.” (I don’t actually say that.) But many times the “quick click” on my phone or computer is not Aligned with Love, or is any love involved at all. Again, no guilt-trip is intended. My wife has various health issues that makes walking often painful for her, so she orders groceries online and picks them up. And yes, I could roam the grocery store on her behalf, but I think she would not be pleased with the results, and here we are.

There are reasons we do things online, but we should stop sometimes to look at how we use that resource, and why.

With all these Components of Life: Time, Tasks, Relationships, and Resources, we must take some time to think on them.

We have to slow down.

I have tried with each one of these Components to give some thoughts on things to look at. With Time, I of course pointed out time spent online, and on our phones. Some of us spend a lot of time on this! This was something that only a few decades ago–did not even exist. With Tasks, I asked about what tasks may have outlived their usefulness, and were now “just because”. With Relationships, the point was made that every relationship matters. You don’t have to be buddy-buddy with everyone, but you can be polite and kind. Yes, you can. We can all think about how we use Resources, as residents of Planet Earth. We forget that so much of what we use is not “eternal”. It will wear out, break down, become obsolete, and so forth.

Be wise. Take some time, and look at the other three. Perhaps a relationship needs mending that we keep going over and over about in our heads. Maybe some tasks need to be delegated. Maybe it is time to get to know “Bob” at the hardware store, or push a cart around now and again for groceries. Just watch the lettuce!

Balancing these 4 Components of Life will help you become a more Loving Presence.

Ditching unnecessary tasks, or putting your phone down, will make you more present to family and friends. Dialing down some consumerism is better for the planet–you do not have to be a super-environmentalist to see that! Time with a book, sipping a beloved beverage, actually talking face-to-face with someone, are all ways to slow down, and bring some balance to our over-busy modern lives!

As I say so often: Honestly, try to look at these Components. I have given you a framework to evaluate a lot of day-today life. Running in circles, and pushing-pushing constantly is not healthy. I know there are seasons and situations where options are limited, but even a small little tweak in one of these Components can pay off tremendously in the journey to being more Aligned with Love.

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________

I hope you enjoyed this 4-Part Series. I usually do 3-Part series, but this was my first 4-Part. Let me know your thoughts. Think I missed some Component? Need some help balancing? I’d love to write more about it, at a later date. I’m going to give my yards some love, and run some “Reprints” for a bit.

Like what you read? Let me know-I appreciate your feedback.

Thank you so much for your time!

-Eric the Wordsmith

BP52

Have any additional thoughts or comments? You can click on the comment link, or you can email me at the address provided. Have ideas you want me to write about, or questions? Want to tell me how much you enjoy (or don't enjoy) my content? All are acceptable, but be nice, please. Thanks! alignwithlove85@gmail.com.