The Friendly Stranger

"There must be another way", was the cry of frustration that started the book "A Course in Miracles". The endless competition and quarrels within the psychology department at Columbia University caused the authors of this book to look for different solution. This was when the author, Helen Schucman, started hearing a voice that claimed to be Jesus and when she took notes a project started that lasted seven years.

Whether you believe in channeling of voices from beyond or not, the problem statement remains the same. We often run into a wall sometime during the mid-cycle of our lives and simply can't cope with the challenges of work, family and unexpected obstacles in our way any longer. Unfortunately this has to happen to all of us. The mid-life experience is an opportunity to reposition ourselves. The expectations of our society and parents are off, as are our own conclusions of what supposedly is fun and what is not. Subconsciously we know that something is not right so we try compensating by running after something that shines like gold on the horizon: sex, relationships, knowledge, money, fame, spirituality; you name it. We run and run and run, yet happiness is always out in the distance. And then we stumble; that's how our soul searching process starts and that's how we find the answer.

No matter how noble our goal happens to be, it is the striving that is the problem. Whenever we want something we in fact compensate for a problem statement that is hidden beneath. We never find happiness that way. But then, there is no need to hit the wall either. Just stop today and reevaluate everything. Remember a scene from your social engagement last night or your work-day yesterday. Who was smiling and who looked grumpy? Who was full of life and who used sheer will power to keep on going? Look at the evidence and find that the world you have seen thus far is turned upside down. Those who think they have, may have very little, while those who you thought has very little may in fact be the happy one. A mid-life wake-up call can be very gentle indeed; just understand that the time has come to re-evaluate and perceive again. Today is a good day for the eye-opener!

The other way is right in front of your eyes. It always has been, it was just that you were too busy to look. It is in the smile of your friend and the uplifting words from an unexpected stranger. Zoom into those pleasant surprises and be willing to see the dust on the stuff that you thought made you happy before. You can only see what your brain wants you to see. But when you allow a new world to open up, your old world will melt like ice-cream in the sun. God is in our midst - always. Find Her today! There is another way; it is called the Way. Never mind the little inconvenience you experienced yesterday, without it you wouldn't have been able to be born again today. Instead, Enjoy your meeting with the friendly stranger today.