A TIME FOR REBIRTH

By Peter M. Kalellis

April has a significant meaning to the life of many cultures, for they live in anticipation of the abundant fruits that Earth is destined to produce. Most of these people find the land fertile and ready to plow and plant seeds in the hope that the response will be favorable come Fall.

But for those of us who prefer to live in our urban lifestyles, there is another message that we are offered. Strive for excellence, be fruitful and ambitious. Already you are in good shape intellectually, and all you need is to find several outlets for your energies. You may not be a farmer, but you are a planner. You are the boss.

LOOKING FOR AN OPPORTUNITY
Okay, dear boss! You are in charge, independent, curious, and interested in results. You know what you want and why you want it. You are always looking for an opportunity to achieve financial and emotional security. You are a peacemaker, and you do the very best to enjoy your life. You understand the law of harmony and desire to balance your life with those around you. You may feel incomplete without someone to share your ideas, your love, ideals, wealth, and work. Does this sound like you?

Within your belief system or a religion, whether you belong or not to a church, temple, or mosque, the task of cultivating your fundamental values would be more comfortable and more productive. Involvement in a religious group can create a feeling of belonging, communal ties, a caring connection with people. The dynamics of a group interacting and pursuing a common goal, under the genuine guidance of a trained spiritual leader can be most potent.

Your human potential, with its spiritual principles, can provide comfort and hope, compassion, and love. Imagine if all human relationships began with the belief that people are innately wonderful and beautiful—and with an inner capacity to love. It may be hard to believe this, yet beyond our superficiality, we are people with a potential for love. With practice, we will realize that we can look through others instead of just at them; we will understand others with a capacity to love despite some outwardly unloving behaviors.

AN IMPERFECT WORLD
You may ask why even take the trouble? Because we are imperfect and do live in an imperfect world with imperfect people, our peace of mind, the health of body and soul are dependent on the relationships we establish with others. Think, for all of today’s talk of love, the fact remains that never has the world been so lacking in love, self-absorbed, hostile, cruel, rejecting, contemptuous, and indifferent. Hurricanes, earthquakes, and floods are horrific, and we feel sad for the victims, if we are not affected, after a brief period of compassion, we forget about them. Never have human hearts been so weak in faith, as are the hearts of many modern-day members of society. War and massacres no longer disturb us; we can hardly hear the needy who beg for help at our very doorstep. We are busy—with nothing. We talk—of nothing. Our neighbor, our brother or sister, cries for help, and we do not listen.

Technology, with all its benefits, has replaced intimate interaction among people. Our children are mesmerized with computerized knowledge: Texting has replaced verbal communication and socialization. Our schools have fallen short in teaching respect, duty, or responsibility. Entitlement has become an epidemic. As a result, we have a generation that does not accept restraint, does not know goodwill, or peace, or altruism, or true faith. Can you give your potential some thought?

A FEEL-GOOD EXPERIENCE
It is the Springtime of 2020. Why not remind yourself, as you travel down the road, that you are a worthy human being and you can do good deeds for others? It can be a feel-good experience. And if someone in your path mistreats you or blocks your growth with negative thoughts, try to understand that these people project on you their mental conditions.

A meaningful spiritual framework, where people share an understanding of similar issues and support each other, will enable you to face life’s adversities with courage and intelligence. It can give you a feeling of acceptance. It can offer you opportunities to discover a sense of purpose in your personal life. The power of faith is interwoven in the lives of millions. Faith has sustained countless people through difficult times. Sometimes, faith operates in small quiet ways, sometimes in profound transformative experiences.