The Pleasures of Life

February 19, 2012

Dear Friends,

One of the first big hits by Sting—the world-famous singer and songwriter—was centered around this lyric: “We are spirits in the material world.” Recently, I got to see a great example of that.

I was in Dallas, Texas, for the first birthday of my second grandson, Tanner. If you want to actually see Spirit, just look into the eyes of a young child. The divine light that comes shining through those eyes is unmistakable. And what fun it is to watch that Spirit enjoying the material world it finds itself in.

My birthday gift to Tanner was a small Native American drum from Sedona. Tanner immediately began to bang on that drum with relish. You could feel his excitement grow with each and every beat. And the expression on his face seemed to say, “Listen to the sound I can make! Listen! Listen!”

Tanner’s unabashed enthusiasm reminded me of the time I watched a little four-year-old girl dancing to some music being played by a street musician in Albuquerque, New Mexico. What was particularly interesting about this child was the way she “observed herself” as she danced. She would look at her arms and she waved them in the air. She would look at her feet as she shuffled them across the ground. And she would look at her waist as she swiveled her hips around and around.

I felt like I was witnessing that little girl’s soul—her divine eternal Spirit—being fully aware of its presence in this physical world, and consciously enjoying the pleasures that this world has to offer. “Look, I have a body!” “Look, I can move it all around!”

So, you may ask, what does all this have to do with living life in the divine flow? Simply this: Always remember that your enjoyment of life has very little to do with reaching the chosen destinations that you are “rowing” toward.

Sure, fulfilling a desire or realizing a dream feels great! But that is just the icing on the cake. The real, deep-down enjoyment of life comes from allowing yourself to appreciate the entire journey, and all the wonderful things that journey presents to you along the way.

As you pursue your goals in life, be sure to pause for a moment to appreciate the simple beauty of a tiny flower, and the majesty of a mighty tree. Notice the refreshing feel of a cool, spring breeze . . . the pure, clean scent of approaching rain . . . and the sound of a bird as it sings its splendid song.

Remember that living life in the divine flow is not just about getting where you want to go. It’s also about how you live as you row. Don’t forget to take the time to laugh, sing, play, and read . . . to eat your favorite foods . . . to dance to your favorite music . . . and, if you are so inclined, to bang on a drum.

Make sure that you allow your Spirit to do what it really came here to do in the first place—just to enjoy the experience of being alive and in the world!

Steven

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© 2012 by Steven Lane Taylor
Author of Row, Row, Row Your Boat:
A Guide for Living Life in the Divine Flow
www.rowrowrow.com
Steven Lane Taylor, LLC