With a Thought and a Prayer

I have a dear friend who is struggling with some heavy duty health concerns at the moment and my thoughts and prayers are always with her.  There are those among my friends that think thoughts and prayers are lame and that only real action can make a difference, I beg to differ.  I believe that thoughts and prayers are real actions, that the human mind is so powerful that thoughts and prayers can heal any condition or situation.

I need look no further than my own history to be convinced of the healing power of thoughts and prayers.  Back in November of 2007, death had me in its grip, I was clinically dead for five to seven minutes, and survival should have meant brain damage, but I had a whole community of people praying for me and I made it through remarkably.  Go ahead and scoff but I’m a firm believer in the power of thoughts and prayers!  There have been times when faith in myself has been challenged, and times when I felt powerless over circumstances in my life, but there has never been a time when I didn’t believe in a Power far greater than myself able to see me through any situation.

This Power, which I choose to call God, isn’t the same God I grew up with, the Old Man in Heaven spying on me to see whether I ate my broccoli or not and judging me because of it, no, God for me today is an unlimited and unfailing energy that always responds according to principles and laws, the greatest of which is love.  This is not as metaphysical a concept as it seems, it correlates with the fundamental teachings of Christ, whom I love and believe in, that God is always present and that faith is always rewarded.

Thoughts are prayers, and prayers are powerful!  I have faith today, and I know that my faith reaches God who moves Heaven and Earth to answer my prayers.  Regardless of appearances, I know, feel, and believe that God is right there where Anita is and that my thoughts and prayers bring fruitful results.  Today, I’m sending out thoughts and prayers to all who need them, and I’m doing so believingly, absolutely certain that as Jesus said, these prayers are being answered!

Love you all!

Luc

Abracadabra

It’s Thursday morning, my day off, and I was up before the birds, what’s up with that?  I’m working on my third cup of coffee, my fingers are itching to start writing, and a million crazy thoughts are racing through my head, yep, it’s a writing day if I ever had one.  These days don’t come often, most days I struggle with getting those fingers going.  I’m grateful for days like today, beta-blockers and all, these days really get my adrenaline pumping.  Look out world, Luc is on the warpath, ready to defeat the enemy, writing block.

I’ve started three blog posts and scrapped them all, my inner critic is busy this morning but I won’t give in, I have a fire in my belly and I’m ready to roll, I can do this, I believe!  As I write this, try number four, I remind myself that this is not a coincidence, I’ve asked the Universe for a day like this, and the Universe delivered.  Chalk another one down for the Law of Attraction.

I read two wonderful books by Pam Grout, E-Squared (E2), and E-Cubed (E3), I cheated, I read them both thoroughly before trying the experiments, I believe you’re supposed to discover the experiments one at a time but I like to know what I’m working towards before I begin, just one of my many character defects.  The books are a series of experiments aimed at proving that there is a creative energy, accessible to all, that we can use to improve our lives. 

There are nine experiments per book and today is a result of book one, E-Squared, experiment four, the Abracadabra Principle, where you get to ask the Universe for something you want and give it forty-eight hours to deliver, at the time of this writing, it’s been thirty-five hours since I asked.  I asked for it, and I got it, lock, stock, and barrel.

Although the principles which are set out in the experiments are not new to me, I can certainly use a refresher, so I intend to conduct each experiment with diligence and care, and so far I haven’t been disappointed.  I’ve believed in the power of faith and belief for a long time now but I’ve allowed some fears and doubts to impede my results, these experiments I hope will put me back on track.

It all starts with accepting today, this writing day, for what it is, one in a series of blessings that my Higher Power seems to like endowing me with, and having faith in greater things to come.  I have many great blessings in my life, an amazing family, awesome friends, a nice home, and a job I love, but there’s always room for more so bring it on.  I celebrate today with much gratitude, and I know that my blessings cup will always overflow with things that matter most to me.  Life is one beautiful blessing after another, I believe!

Love you all!

Luc

Life is a Story

Life is like a story in constant need of revision, it requires hard work and dedication, and depends on conflict and resolution in order to move the story forward.  Some chapters bring joy, others bring devastation but each chapter brings hope for a satisfying conclusion.  Some people ‘pants’ life, in other words, they live it by the seat of their pants, accepting whatever comes along and working with it, while others plot every detail and work from there, I’m an ‘in-betweener’, I ‘pants’ some and plot some, and hope for the best.

My life story is far from complete, thank goodness, hopefully the deadline is extended for years to come, I keep plugging away at it and hopefully I get it right.  Some chapters are set in stone, they are beyond changing and that’s okay, I may not be able to change them but I can change the impact they have on the story as a whole.  I may not like those chapters very much but I don’t regret them because they were necessary in order to bring my life story where it is today, which is not a bad place really.

Until recently, I’ve been complacent in creating my life story, I’ve been ‘pantsing’ it to the limit, tolerating come what may, and allowing my past to dictate my future, the result, ho-hum.  Like writing, creating a life story is easier when we acquire and implement certain tools, and it’s those tools that I’ve been busying myself with lately, with amazing results.  I’ve been plotting my life, not to the minutest detail but detailed enough to give me something to focus on, and immersing my plot in confidence and faith, and my life story is getting better because of it.

Each day begins a new chapter with new challenges, and trust me, somedays those challenges are great, yet I don’t feel overwhelmed by them because I know that my confidence and faith is great enough to overcome them.  I wish I could describe the feelings of peace and serenity which have replaced fear and doubt in my life but I can’t, words escape me. 

I am so deeply grateful for my teachers, not mystic sages, okay maybe one or two of them, but real people facing very real challenges whose strength and courage inspires me.  Thank you Becs, thank you, Anita, thank you, Guy, thank you Ken and Carol, and thank you, Rachel, you have all touched my life in a special way and I am forever grateful for the part you play in my life story.

Love you all!

Luc

Let’s Talk About Mental Health

A year and a half ago, I was in the grips of major depression, all faith and hope were gone, and I really believed I was going to die, I wanted to die.  There were dark clouds of pessimism and despair hovering over me, and it shames me to say that I wasn’t even able to look after myself properly.  My home was a disaster area, I had poor hygiene, and I would cry for no reason at all.  I was a wreck!

There was a crisis, there always is, it didn’t precipitate the depression, that was already there, but it precipitated the need for action.  Only one other person knows what I am about to share publicly, I was desperate and had pretty well resolved to disappear, to go away and end my life peacefully somewhere where I wouldn’t be found.  Selfish of me, I know, but rational thinking wasn’t my strong suit back then, but a lucid moment did find me and I reached for the phone.  The rest, as they say, is history.

It’s painful to remember those days, and it isn’t easy to share, but on this, World Mental Health Day, it seems appropriate to end the stigma and share my story. 

Even though one in five Canadians suffers from a mental illness at some point in their lives, we don’t talk about it.  The stigma is so great that those suffering from mental health issues would rather suffer in silence than risk being judged by those they love.  Wouldn’t it be great if the whole world started talking about it in a caring and compassionate way, how many lives could we save, how much misery could we avert?

My own story ends well because people were willing to listen when I was ready to talk.  The love and support from my family and friends helped me to cope with my illness and brought me to the right people, places, and things to help me recover.  Although my life is not perfect today, depression still rears its ugly head once in a while, on most days I am genuinely happy, and when I’m not, I know that I have a network of people who really care to turn to.

It takes more than medication to cure mental illness, it takes an entire community of caring individuals, adequate resources, and informed supports.  Chances are someone you know is dealing with a mental health issue, be the friend they need, and talk about it!

Love you all!

Luc

Lost and Found

There was a time, in the late seventies, when the best I could possibly hope for was to breathe in and breathe out.  My teen years were marred with low self-esteem, self-contempt, and self-depreciation, and the natural functions of living zapped all of my energy and ambitions.  Thoughts of death were common, and if I had any courage at all, I wouldn’t be here writing this today.

I was lost in every sense of the word, a loner with no hope, no faith, and certainly no ambitions.  I would spend my free-time alone in the solitude of my room pretending to be anyone other than who I was.  I had dreams, far-fetched dreams, which even I didn’t believe in, but I pretended away anyways, living out my dreams in the deep dark recesses of my mind.  It was a long shot for sure, but sometimes long shots pay off, and something absolutely wonderful happened.

In 1979, I had just turned sixteen, old enough to quit school, which I planned on doing anyway when I was offered a full-time job with our local community television station as the Assistant Program Coordinator.  I had been volunteering for them for a few years, mostly lugging equipment around, set-up lighting, and as playback operator (the person who pushed the button at seven every night so the programming would go on air), but now in my new job, I would get to do what I had wanted to do for so long, produce community television programs.  My main dream had been fulfilled, in spite of myself, and I was introduced to the Law of Attraction.

I didn’t know about the Law of Attraction back then, and it would be a few years before I would understand the role it played in my life, but there were many small successes that would follow, and I relished each one.  My attitude about life changed, and as a result, my life changed as well, the lost boy had been found, I returned to school and graduated with honors, furthered my dreams by working in both radio and print journalism, and won a poetry award.

I’m certainly no expert on the Law of Attraction, and I still struggle with applying it to my life, but I’ve summed it up in a simple statement, “Think bad things, and bad things happen, think good things, and good things happen!”  There are many different books and videos, each preaching a different approach to the Law of Attraction, but I always find it best to keep it simple, and Jesus stated it as simply as possible when he said, “Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask for in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours.” 

I believe in the Law of Attraction itself, not necessarily with all its various interpretations and rules, and I know without any doubt whatsoever that as long as what I want doesn’t hurt or harm myself or others, and doesn’t take away from someone else, I can and will have it, as long as I apply myself to it with faith and conviction.  I am resolved to make good things happen, and I know, feel and believe that they do.

Love you all,

Luc