Blog #132--Interesting Tidbits Not Included in Book, Part 4
This is the fourth in a series of blogs that include tidbits not included in my book “It’s a Secret, So Pass It On: a Toolbox For Life.”
Tidbit #1: Bryan Cranston is an actor who won multiple Emmys for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for his role as Walter White in the television series “Breaking Bad.” I thought he should have won Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series for his role as Hal in the sitcom “Malcolm in the Middle.” In a recent interview, he made a profound comment about what an actor must do to excel at his craft.
He stated an actor must let go and give all of him or herself without expecting any return on the energy expended. This is an identical philosophy to the explanation provided in my book on how to share unconditional love. The loving energy is given simply for the benefit of those who receive it. If we give of ourselves without expecting anything in return, the universe returns that energy to us in abundance to fill the void left by the giving. In terms of actors, it means accepting that our higher self (or spirit, if you will) is one with our creator and the loving energy that surrounds and connects us with the rest of the universe. We can then transform ourselves into any person we wish to become since we all are created the same.
Tidbit #2: In the television series “Babylon 5,” Centauri ambassador Londo Mollari, played by Peter Jurasik, made the following statement: “My shoes are too tight, and I’ve forgotten how to dance.” This may seem confusing to many readers, as it did me. Upon contemplating its meaning, I finally realized that it represents what happens to many of us as we age. We become more set in our ways, more limited as to the risks we are willing to take. Perhaps we have more possessions to protect. Maybe we become increasingly concerned about growing old and dying. Whatever, we tend to become more inward-dwelling and less free to explore new ideas or simply to play.
Dancing is a form of play. It can uplift us as we respond physically to beautiful music. It is something that can be enjoyed by people of all ages but is practiced less and less as we age. In general, we tend to play less and take fewer risks the older we get. After awhile, we forget what it was like when we were young and carefree. In some cases, people become nearly as petrified and immobile as ancient wood that has turned to stone.
One key to becoming one with spirit is to take all our gifts with us to the joining. One of those gifts is play. Maybe we can all benefit by not letting our shoes get too tight. Maybe then we will continue to be child-like (as opposed to childish) as we mature. That will allow us the freedom to enjoy things that please and uplift us.
Our creator gave us the ability to be uplifted, so there are benefits to keeping an open mind and taking our child with us as we mature into responsible adults. Joy is everyone’s right regardless of age or infirmity.
Tidbit #3: I’ve often had problems falling asleep because my mind is too active for its own good sometimes. I’ve tried counting sheep without success, but some people find it useful to trick themselves into going to sleep by doing so. I have had success going to sleep when I try to stay awake, and there is minimal difference between the two methods. The key to both is the fact that opposites must be balanced. Trying to force ourselves to sleep keeps us awake, so the opposite is necessary to induce sleep.
Counting is a left-brain activity, while sheep are submissive and monotonously identical to each other, traits our right brains prefer. If we use our left brains to count, we encourage our right brains to counter the imbalance. Since our right brains (often considered our subconscious) reside normally in our dream-state realm, right brain activity helps us switch from consciousness to sleep. Better yet is to trust we will sleep when needed and awaken when needed and not worry about the number of hours we sleep. With time, all that balances out. If we get less sleep one night, perhaps we will get more than normal another night to balance the ledger.
Tidbit #4: When I was young, there were few products available that could stifle a cough successfully. Since most of my colds produced intense coughing, I was often frustrated by a lack of treatment options. At one point, my mom obtained a cough elixir that tasted awful. But somehow, despite my difficulty swallowing it, my cough seemed to lessen when I took the elixir. I came to believe that only bad-tasting products could neutralize a cough.
That notion now extends to other products with other purposes. For example, I use a mouthwash that burns my mouth. I prefer it to products that taste sweet and have no stinging aftereffects. I feel like it is doing a better job, even though I’m sure it doesn’t. In fact, while our mouths may taste a little better for awhile, and we might have a temporary reduction in halitosis, the fact is no mouthwash kills all the germs that normally reside in our mouths. Some of those are necessary for digestion and shouldn’t be killed. But I do obtain a degree of satisfaction from using the mouthwash.
The above products may be nothing more than placebos, items that make us think we are being treated but may have no actual effectiveness. Doctors often prescribe sugar pills for the same reason. They brag about the quality of the pills and their effectiveness, and their patients seem to improve after taking the sugar pills. The reason for this is simple: our bodies heal themselves. We prefer to believe some outsider can sweep in like Superman and save our day, so we think the placebo and doctor made us well. Let’s give credit where credit is due. Doctors would have little success in their work without the body’s supreme ability to heal itself.
Food for thought: Lies have beginnings and endings. Universal Truth is eternal. Which would you prefer to embrace?
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