One Important List

 Rev. James Martin, S.J, likes lists as much as I do.  Really.

He likes them so much, as a birthday present to himself, he tweeted 12 things that, had he put them into action, would have made his life a lot easier, had he known them when he was 25.  (He's 50 this year.)  Some are bits of advice that wisdom figures have shared with him, he says, and took years to sink in.  Others are the result of some hard knocks.  A few are insights from the great spiritual masters that he's adapted for his own life.  He shares them with 25 year olds--I share them with you.  2012 reminded me of each of them, and my resolution for 2013 is to tape them to my mirror, so I will be reminded often of these same truths that reflect my life, too.  I hope, along with James, that one or two may touch your life as well.

1. First up: Stop worrying so much! It's useless. (i.e. Jesus was right.)

2. Being a saint means being yourself. Stop trying to be someone else and just be your best self. Saves you heartache.

3. There's no right way to pray, any more than there's a right way to be a friend. What's "best" is what works best for you.

4. Remember three things and save yourself lots of unneeded heartache: You're not God. This ain't heaven. Don't act like a jerk.

5. Your deepest, most heartfelt desires are God's desires for you. And vice versa. Listen. And follow them.

6. Within you is the idea of your best self. Act as if you were that person and you will become that person, with God's grace.

7. Don't worry too much about the worst that can happen. Even if it happens, God is with you, and you can handle it. Really.

8. You can't force people to approve of you, agree with you, be impressed with you, love you or even like you. Stop trying.

9. When we compare, we are usually imagining someone else's life falsely. So our real-life loses out.
 i.e. Compare and despair.

10. Even when you finally realized the right thing, or the Christian thing, to do, it can still be hard to do. Do it anyway.

11. Seven things to say frequently: I love you. Thank you. Thank you, God. Forgive me. I'm so happy for you! Why not? Yes.

12. Peace and joy come after asking God to free you -- from anything that keeps you from being loving and compassionate.

Pretty good wisdom, I reckon--at least that's the view from my desk this chilly first week in January.

Grace and joy,
Julie