IS

"Life is a mountain, not a beach." That's what my friend's fortune cookie read. I snickered and said, "Well why can't it be a beach!?" Mine read: "It is the hope and dreams we have, that make us great." I suppose that is right, because it is how we live each moment and with that moment being of grace and pleasant attitude that makes us a joy to be around and a light in an otherwise dark world. The journey is climbing up and up and up, and slipping and falling and picking ourselves back up and journeying onwards. And there's sweat and tears, and muscle aches, but you progress higher and higher and closer and closer up the mountain and to the heavens, where the view is great! Sure beaches are lovely! I spent most of my childhood and upbringing on a beach, but it isn't all there is; for without hardships, adversities or disappointments, how could we possibly grow and appreciate and have a deeper meaning and perspective for all life is?

And some of you scoff and say, "Who needs perspective!? Who needs a different or more difficult direction!?" I understand your sense of logic, but would you want to live a life that is heading for impending doom? A life that is meaningless, loveless, and selfish? No matter how much a human has, they always tend to want more. So even that perfect little beach in the Caribbean wouldn't be enough, and you'll feel as though you're also missing something. What you're missing is that divine perspective. So don't be negative and fearful of what you don't understand. Try to understand it. The truth of what is.

IS is right now and being at peace with that. For when you have peace, you have joy and when you have joy, you have love. And isn't that the whole purpose of life anyway? It is not worrying about the future and how great it's going to be, or expecting only pink flamingos or peaches and cream, but knowing that even in great tragedy and loss, it is leading up to something that will make sense later on; something that makes the whole journey that much sweeter because you endured. It is leading you to that wonderful view. Life is, and it's happening right now. How exciting is that?

Man keeps searching; searching for fireworks in the sky, or a savior on a throne with angels trumpeting at his side. We constantly search for what is missing. "You are EVERYTHING, without what you THINK you need (-Jair Ananda Massiah).The time is now. Fireworks, true-love and God IS already here. Don't miss it. It already IS right now and right here. Vagrants begging on the side of the street for food or money, that nagging parent or energetic child that wants to spend time with you, that guy or girl that have been there with you through thick and thin and would skip a meeting with the Pope to be in your presence; true-love, fireworks and God are in all of them. Embrace that opportunity, that blessing that IS moment, to connect with what you are searching for. For it is in this moment and opportunity that your blessings are disguised , and it is up to you to be in the now and open your eyes to see that beauty in front of you!

Thoughts are ego-based, and usually negative; battling constantly with what is. Don't let those negative egoist thoughts be your master. You be the master! IS is where you'll find truth, and IS is where you'll find peace, and IS, is where you'll find true meaning and love in life.

Force yourself to combat those negative thoughts that create worry. Force yourself to pay attention and to wake up to what is happening in your life right now. Try to understand that whatever feelings you are going through IS the inner and deeper meaning of all that life IS. Be at peace with that whole experience; and accept it for what it IS.

The human emotion of anger, because you have given all your time, energy and strength into something you believed in and another milked you dry, doesn't appreciate, recognize or respond to you. The human emotion of sadness, because you feel lost and helpless when your love is un-requited and the once healthy relationship is subdued. The human emotion of regret and apathy when you thought your life was going in one direction and instead change happened pretty quickly and not necessarily the way you envisioned it. This IS happening now. These are your feelings. Be at peace with it, whatever it IS. Release it. Because healing and growth IS happening. If you prefer to ignore, bottle-up or mask it behind busy schedules, alcohol, drugs, or sex, you may escape it for a moment, but you can be sure it'll be back and worse than before to haunt you. Therefore IS is important. That moment. Live with it. Be at peace with it my darlings, you are such a wonderful being and it doesn't make sense now but it will make sense one day. For even the lost; so stay on the path.

You are the scattered sheep tended to by the shepherd, and if you are lost, you will be sought after, and if you are tired, you will have rest, and if you stray, you will be brought back, and if you are injured you will be bound, and if you are sick you will heal, but you mustn't fight. Surrender…embrace…know that you are being rescued rightly and protected from wolves who are without love.

For it's always the journey that leads you to the destination; and not just transporting from place to place. This IS life. It's a mountain, a work in progress, it IS today! Not what happened a couple years ago, a few weeks ago or what might happen tomorrow. It IS being truthful, real, and present in this moment with that you're feeling. Because tomorrow might never come and you can't change the past, but it IS now that allows us to be great people, to be the light, to be the work in progress and the change we wish to see in the world.

Because life can always be better, but it can also be much worse. Be thankful for those life-altering experiences; be grateful for the moments of bliss, grace and heavenly love. Put a smile on your face and trust that the next act is even greater than this. Now IS all you have. Choose to be happy…you're a whole lot stronger baby! J

Bless-up!

Jair