June 20, 2023 – A

It starts with "Yes" and "No,"
and being right about when to say what,
and flows from there
through all of the circumstances of life
to form a reliable identity
and establish our individuality,
shaped by our original nature
and the innate virtues/specialties
that are with us, 
and are us,
from birth.

When Jesus said,
"Let your 'Yes' be yes,
and your 'No' be no,"
he was talking about the importance
of speaking clearly from the heart
about matters we know we are right
to say "Yes" to or "No" to.

It is important to know "Yes" and "No,"
without holding back
to see where the advantage lies,
and which gives us the best chance
at having our way
and getting what we want.

Wanting complicates "Right" and "Wrong."
If we have a stake in the outcome,
we might well say "Yes," 
when "No" was clearly the right way to go, 
or say "No"
when "Yes" was our body's preferred response
except that our mind gets in the way,
over-riding the body's signals (again),
and creating circumstances we regret
for the rest of time.

"If only we had known," we say,
overlooking the truth that we
could have easily known
if we had taken the time to listen
to our body's signals.

"Creating a space"
to be empty of thoughts and emotions,
"like the place between breaths,"
and open to the stillness
and the silence,
waiting to see/hear/feel
what arises within
as an unmistakable message from our core
regarding "Yes" or "No."

But fear and desire get in the way (again),
and "For want of a 'Yes' an opportunity was lost,"
or vice versa with a "No,"
and here we are.

Not looking,
not listening,
not knowing
but always wishing
that we had looked,
and listened,
and known.

When to say "Yes,"
and when to say "No." 

Which is what life is all about--
being right about when to say what.

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