Sunday, September 18, 2016

The Multiverse Sends Me a Smoke Signal

As I rode home on the underground today, a little girl, she must have been three or four years old, she smiled at me. Big deal, I can hear you saying.

It is a big deal, and I will explain why. 
She is at an age when a smile still means something. All little girls eventually learn to manipulate others with their smiles, but she had not learned this yet. When she smiled at me, the multiverse, or the Big Ranger in the Sky if you prefer, sent me a smoke signal. When this happens, you should pay attention.
I find myself praying a lot lately, and I learned the hard way that the way to pray is to simply pray to do the will of the multiverse, to do what you are supposed to do. You should never pray for self gratification. You can pray if someone is ill, or hurt, but again, you will find that a simple but heartfelt and humble prayer to the Big Ranger, to Jesus, to Allah, to Brahma, to Krishna, to Shiva, to Kali Ma, or just to God, is best. You should only pray: "may Your will be done."
I no longer pray for this or for that. I pray simply that the will of God be done, and that I perform my purpose for His glory. I am satisfied to receive the side-effects or the left-overs of His will. I find as I get older that I really do not need much more than I have, I do not really want much more. 
I should have died long ago. By some miracle I did not. Not yet. Maybe tomorrow. But for today, a little girl on the underground smiled at me, and it was a blessing. It took me decades to learn to appreciate a smile like that. For just one moment, I knew that I was precisely where I was supposed to be at that time, doing exactly what I was supposed to be doing. Such a blessing.

The machinations of the universe are beyond us. It is human arrogance to think that we can ever understand it in all its infinite complexity. The most that we should hope to know is what we should be doing at any given moment.

Pray to do what you should be doing. Pray to be where you are supposed to be. Most of all, pray simply for the greater glory of your God. And leave the rest in His hands.


This was originally posted on my Facebook page. 

3 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

I read an excerpt from your book on Urgent Fury. Was shocked to see Andy Paulen's name. He and I were LTs at Fort Leonard Wood in 91. Always wondered where he went. After that. I enjoyed your writing. Regards, Chris Barron

9:08 AM, September 21, 2016  
Blogger Esteban Trujillo de Gutierrez said...

LOL! Andy is still running around. We have not had to take him bear hunting yet.

Thank you for your comment. :)

12:55 PM, September 21, 2016  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I remember someone asked him why he didn't buy a pair of corfam shoes for his class A's... he said - completely seriously - "I don't trust a man who doesn't shine his own shoes." Still good advice, 25 years later. - Chris

8:17 PM, September 30, 2016  

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