Being is higher than doing...

Dear children, BEING will always be higher than DOING.   I am less concerned with what you do, but am very concerned with who you  are. This sounds very confusing, but it is truly very simple.

 

Say you travel all around the world.  You see amazing things, see beautiful places, eat all kinds of exotic foods, visit historical sights, you DO a lot.  But did it make you appreciate your home more?  Did it help you see all the world as your brothers and sisters?  Did it show you how small you were  or how big you can be if you make your part of the world better?  Are you more human from what you experienced?

 Education is very much a place where BEING is higher than DOING.  You can read all kinds of books, study math and science, learn proper grammar.  But did you let it change you?  Did you allow yourself to be transformed?  Are you more aware of truth and beauty?  Do you delight in seeing the order in the world all around us?  Did your education make you more human or was it something you did?

Religion is PAINFULLY more about BEING than DOING.  If you follow all the 'rules' but never allow what you do to transform you, you will quickly find yourself an enemy to your religion.  If your religious actions do not lead you to love, then all the things you are doing are worth nothing.  Sometimes all the steps to become more seem trivial and small.  But you must live everyday doing those things will which add up to a slow transformation of yourself.  You take everyday and challenge yourself.  You must stop and learn the lessons that life will give you.  If you just go through the motions of DOING you will never BE more. 

And when you are more all the world will know.  Because you will shine like a bright light.  You will send out warmth and peace.  And you will be a blessing to the world.

Marriage still matters...

To my beautiful girls, despite what the world tells you, marriage still matters.  It is still worth it to make a promise, a vow, that you will love someone for the rest of your life.  And it is still worth it to give your life to someone.

Yes, I know you can 'act' like you are married...do all those things married people do...live with someone, spend all your time with them, make memories, even have kids.  Society will even tell you how smart you are for "finding out if you are compatible" before you commit.  This is a lie.  It will never be as full as if you did all these things with THAT man as YOUR husband. Because marriage still means something.

Life is the same.  You work, you play.  Some times are good, others bad.  But marriage adds another layer.

 

Marriage wraps life with a bow that says" I love you, you are unique to me and I choose you above all others".  It says" I will be with you if you are sick or tired...or sick and tired of the kids! I will follow you where ever you go. I will love your family as my own.  You are safe.  I am here to stay and will do whatever it takes".  Marriage says that we will be together for always...long enough to have children and see them raised..long enough to dream about retirement...long enough to be the last one you see in this world. 

 

And then, when you promise to be with someone forever, they will become someone new.  No one stays the same, we are always growing and changing.  Life happens. And then, you get to fall in love again, with whoever this new person your spouse has turned into.  Because you promised you would... and a promise as big as marriage will take your whole life to fulfill.  Some of the things you loved about your husband when you met will go away...some things on purpose, some because life happened.  But I hope you will have the guts to choose someone.  To take the challenge of loving someone for always.