Blog 2056 – 05.12.2021

The Secret Of My Success

The Secret Of My Success is more than just a wonderful romp of a 1988 movie starring a very young Michael J. Fox. The Secret is more than a best selling book and movie by Australian author Rhonda Byrne. The Secret is more than Norman Vincent Peale’s The Power of Positive Thinking in a new package or some relaunch of some 1970’s New Age California Dream religion. The Secret Of My Success in just a few words is this:

“My heart and my mind are open,

My arms and my hands are open

My mouth, my ears, and my eyes are open

To all the Universe has for me.”

I has been said by his devoted followers, especially those who believe that he literally rose from the grave three days after being nailed to a cross, that the nail prints on the wrists of Jesus’ hands forever prevent him from ever closing them again. But one does not have to believe everything that is said about Jesus to see the beauty in that love story. Were it not used to divide and manipulate multitudes of people into warring camps it would have even greater appeal. I spent years working within one of those groups, itself claiming to be a reformation of the original church, trying to spread the good news that we are all loved.

Back then one of my favorite choruses said: “With arms wide open, he’ll welcome you. It is no secret what God can do.” I much prefer to think of God in more universal terms than the blood sacrifice demanding tribal god of the Old Testament and yes, even the New Testament. Jesus is even in that slightly nicer version still a sacrificial lamb slaughtered to avenge an angry god. All guilt religions lost their appeal for me many years ago, but the idea of a god with an open heart, mind, arms, hands, mouth, ears, and eyes still has great appeal to me as does a Universe that is forever whispering, “I Mirror You.”

The four lines that I quoted in the beginning of this piece are the first lines of my ever growing daily mantra. I usually recite it out loud as I begin pedaling on my early morning bike ride. I originally came up with it because I had lost the little pocket heart I carried that I have pictured and mention often with “Thank you for this day, Spirit” on one side and “I am Holy, I am Whole” on the other, with the similar in size and shape one pictured below.

A dear friend located another Holy and Whole Heart and sent it to me, so I gave the Open Heart one to my wife to use as a lucky charm when she plays slots. I do not believe in war nor in luck but I do believe in a secret that is no secret. “It is no secret what God can do, what He’s done for others She’ll do for you. With arms wide open He’ll welcome you. It is no secret what together We can do.” I believe in a triumvirate God, a Trinity not just Father, Son, and Holy Spirit but Father, Mother, and Child – He, She, We, if you will.

A recent paraphrased Bible phrase that I have added to my daily mantra is: “This is the day that the Lord and I have made, we will rejoice and be glad in it.” Oh, Happy Day. Time for me to wrap this up, put on my bike helmet, gloves, and go for a morning ride. Namaste, my fellow pilgrim deities, stay open to receive.

Your friend and fellow traveler,

David White

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1–bJPVIGg0Ic5pw5J0lr8BjnXxK-YWlV/view?usp=drivesdk

Angels Among Us