Day 52

Today's Lesson:

Today's review covers these ideas:

6) I am upset because I see what is not there.

Reality is never frightening. It is impossible that it could upset me. Reality brings only perfect peace. When I am upset, it is always because I have replaced reality with illusions I made up. The illusions are upsetting because I have given them reality, and thus regard reality as an illusion. Nothing in God's creation is affected in any way by this confusion of mine. I am always upset by nothing.

7) I see only the past.

As I look about, I condemn the world I look upon. I call this seeing. I hold the past against everyone and everything, making them my enemies. When I have forgiven myself and remembered Who I am, I will bless everyone and everything I see. There will be no past, and therefore no enemies. And I will look with love on all that I failed to see before.

8) My mind is preoccupied with past thoughts.

I see only my own thoughts, and my mind is preoccupied with the past. What, then, can I see as it is? Let me remember that I look on the past to prevent the present from dawning on my mind. Let me understand that I am trying to use time against God. Let me learn to give the past away, realizing that in so doing I am giving up nothing.

9) I see nothing as it is now.

If I see nothing as it is now, it can truly be said that I see nothing. I can see only what is now. The choice is not whether to see the past or the present; the choice is merely whether to see or not. What I have chosen to see has cost me vision. Now I would choose again, that I may see.

10) My thoughts do not mean anything.

I have no private thoughts. Yet it is only private thoughts of which I am aware. What can these thoughts mean? They do not exist, and so they mean nothing. Yet my mind is part of creation and part of its Creator. Would I not rather join the thinking of the universe than to obscure all that is really mine with my pitiful and meaningless "private" thoughts?

Miracles I'm noticing:

Just re-reading and re-typing the above lessons shows me how blessed and grateful I am to be studying this Course and to be sharing it with you who read this. I know we are creating wonderful community here, and as I read and understand and live these Truths, I see my life shifting around me.

I delivered the opening keynote last night for a Minnesota statewide college DEX convention in Duluth. After my presentation, I chatted with Ian and Robb from an art institute in Minneapolis and was very delighted with who they really were. They were so genuine and open and it was a very refreshing conversation. I am so encouraged and excited to have them - and others like them - join the workforce. They are bright and positive and ready to take on the world. I asked them what their plans were when they finished their degrees, and Robb told me what he would be doing. He said it's not so much what he wants to do but what he will be doing. I had mentioned in my speech that those who have a burning desire will have no doubts about accomplishing whatever they want - the challenge is that so many of us don't have that burning desire. Robb and Ian do. That's a miracle - a shift in focus from fear to love!