Street Talk

Or would that be straight talk? As I was heading back from Butte yesterday,I noticed that every light turned green as I approached. I started to feel lucky, powerful, blessed, — life was going my way. I noticed “good ” thoughts about how “it must be my positive energy” or “the “street light G-d’s shining His countenance favorably upon me” … pun intended.

And when I seem to encounter only red lights, I get anxious… glancing at the clock on the dashboard and what I perceive to be time a wasting. arise. Either way, traffic lights become messages from a higher order of reality. A metaphor for life. Many people cling to this kind of thinking—the belief that when we’re on the right track, everything magically or mysteriously falls into place. Lights change, doors open, people appear, and God or the universe clears the way.

But if a hurricane hits, or acts of human violence, we make up stories about God punishing us. We seek messages and create stories to explain what it all means… and we have the capacity to make meanings (positive or negative) out of any event. Trust me I’ve been there, when Picken went lame, the first thing I thought was “G-d, why are you taking her away from me”?

We fall into that “if only” pothole… if only we could only get our thoughts and intentions aligned, then our lives will unfold in line with our desires and open the door to our dreams. Effortlessly Within every adult is a child who makes magic out of the mundane, and meaning out of mystery.

Quantum physics, we are told, proves (in a way we don’t quite understand) that our thoughts and intentions can somehow create our reality and that synchronicity will guide us to make the “right” decision if we only pay attention. All good things come from positive thoughts and feelings. Now, if f we could only control our mind and emotions!

Now I loved Mary Martin in Peter Pan as much as the next kid but here is what life has taught me:

Life can be difficult. It takes effort over time to progress toward our chosen goals. We can control our efforts, but not the outcomes (but by making an effort, we increase the odds of achieving those outcomes).Action counts more than words or thoughts (the smallest good deed surpasses the grandest good intention).

Some enlightening zen thoughts aka Fish Creek Felicity

And always remember: the ten commandments are not multiple choice.

We should not act without thinking, or think without acting. Thoughts and intentions form a map; we must still make the journey And from the Sound of Music, one of my all time favorite quotes:

When the Lord closes a door, somewhere He opens a window.

And all this from silly street signs.