Our deepest fear

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us.' We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous? Actually, who are you not to be? You are a child of God. Your playing small does not serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you. We are all meant to shine, as children do. We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we're liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.

Mariann Williamson

A Return to Love: Reflections on the Principles of "A Course in Miracles"

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴"Again, it will be like a man going on a journey, who called his servants and entrusted his property to them. ¹⁵To one he gave five talents of money, to another two talents, and to another one talent, each according to his ability. Then he went on his journey. ¹⁶The man who had received the five talents went at once and put his money to work and gained five more. ¹⁷So also, the one with the two talents gained two more. ¹⁸But the man who had received the one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground and hid his master's money.

¹⁹"After a long time the master of those servants returned and settled accounts with them. ²⁰The man who had received the five talents brought the other five. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with five talents. See, I have gained five more.'

²¹"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

²²"The man with the two talents also came. 'Master,' he said, 'you entrusted me with two talents; see, I have gained two more.'

²³"His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'

²⁴"Then the man who had received the one talent came. 'Master,' he said, 'I knew that you are a hard man, harvesting where you have not sown and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵So I was afraid and went out and hid your talent in the ground. See, here is what belongs to you.'

²⁶"His master replied, 'You wicked, lazy servant! So you knew that I harvest where I have not sown and gather where I have not scattered seed? ²⁷Well then, you should have put my money on deposit with the bankers, so that when I returned I would have received it back with interest.

²⁸" 'Take the talent from him and give it to the one who has the ten talents. ²⁹For everyone who has will be given more, and he will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken from him. ³⁰And throw that worthless servant outside, into the darkness, where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.'

Matthew 25:14-30

Change

By Paulo Coelho

Almost in the space of the same week, I received from two readers a text that was supposedly written by me. No, it is not mine - although it has a lot to do with the way I see life. Since I found the material interesting, and in the hope of discovering the real author, I reproduce them below:

Change.

But start slowly, because direction is more important than speed.

Sit in another chair, on the other side of the table.

Later on, change tables.

When you go out, try to walk on the other side of the street. Then change your route, walk calmly down other streets, observing closely the places you pass by.

Take other buses. Change your wardrobe for a while; give away your old shoes and try to walk barefoot for a few days - even if only at home.

Take off a whole afternoon to stroll about freely, listening to the birds or the noise of the cars.

Open and shut the drawers and doors with your left hand.

Sleep on the other side of the bed. Then try sleeping in other beds.

Watch other TV programs, read other books, live other romances - even of only in your imagination.

Sleep until later. Go to bed earlier.

Learn a new word a day.

Eat a little less, eat a little more, eat differently; choose new seasonings, new colors, things you have never dared to experiment.

Lunch in other places, go to other restaurants, order another kind of drink and buy bread at another bakery.

Lunch earlier, have dinner later, or vice-versa.

Try something new every day: a new side, a new method, a new flavor, a new way, a new pleasure, a new position.

Pick another market, another make of soap, another toothpaste.

Take a bath at different times of the day.

Use pens with different colors.

Go and visit other places.

Love more and more and in different ways. Even when you think that the other will be frightened, suggest what you have always dreamed about doing when you make love.

Change your bag, your wallet, your suitcases, buy new glasses, write other poems.

Open an account in another bank, go to other cinemas, other hairdressers, other theaters, visit new museums.

Change. And think seriously of finding another job, another activity, work that is more like what you expect from life, more dignified, more human.

If you cannot find reasons to be free, invent them: be creative.

And grab the chance to take a long, enjoyable trip - preferably without any destination.

Try new things. Change again. Make another change. Experiment something else.

You will certainly know better things and worse things than those you already know, but that does not matter. What matters most is change, movement, dynamism, energy.

Only what is dead does not change - and you are alive.

(via Paulo Coelho's Blog 12/29/08)