Embracing Ecstasy

From the book Simple Steps   by Dr. Arthur Caliandro……

Embracing Ecstasy

We can not plan or demand those encounters with eternity. They just happen. It's the work of the spirit, the activity of God. Yet with the right kind of mindset, we can remain open to those moments every day. And when we are open, we often find that those transcendent moments have away of happening far more often. Coleman Barks often spoke of his belief that people have that core that is ecstatic, recognizes these moments, and responds with wonder.

In response to the question about what he meant by " ecstasy", Barks talks of his boyhood in Tennessee, and the golden April sunsets he used to see there. When he was a boy, he would get so excited by their beauty that he couldn't stand it. He would have to lie down and hug himself.

"Mama, Mama I have that full feeling again," he would say. And she would respond, " I know you do, honey."

Barks felt his mother give him a great gift: "I grew up knowing it was okay to lie and the floor and hug myself."

I'd like to make a further recommendation. It is not only permissible to hug yourself. It is also permissible to hug LIFE.

It is also a very good idea for us to hug each other. We often need to say, "I Love You."

We need to say, "I believe in you."

We need to say, "You hurt me, but I forgive you: let's start over again, let's have a resurrection of our relationship."

These things can happen with faith and patience and some hard work. But it all starts by embracing the ecstasy- the ecstasy of life- and welcoming it into your every day.