Enter this sanctuary time by settling down, becoming quiet, and breathing deeply a few breaths. Remind yourself you are in the Presence of Love. This place you are entering, within, is the inner Temple. Here, you are One with Spirit and all persons, and Nature. You may use a mantra, or prayer phrase, follow the breathing in-and-out, or witness the arising and falling of all around you as the manifestation of universal-Grace. Enjoy these moments of Quiet and come out when you are ready.

...Every moment offers an opportunity...

*Michael Stillwater, writer and composer. One by One. Video invite by the Order of Universal Interfaith (OUnI) at www.ouni.org .

A Buddhist story tells of children on a beach. Each one made sand castles and called out, “This one is mine! Don’t touch it!” Each one defended the sand castle and would not let another child stand nearby.

One child came to another’s sand castle in curiosity and kicked it over. The child who had made the sand castle, in a rage began to beat the other child. He called out to the other children, “Look, my castle is destroyed! Help me punish the rule breaker, giving him what he deserves!”

The other children came over and joined in beating the child. They hit him with sticks and kicked him, until he lay motionless on the ground.

Then, each child returned to his or her own sand castle and began building it, again. Each continued saying to any other child who came near, “Stay away! This is mine! Don’t touch my sand castle!”

Evening approached and darkness began to settle over the beach. Each child turned from his or her sand castle and thought about going home. The children forgot about the sand castles, having lost interest. Some kicked over their castles. Some mashed the castles with their hands. Some walked off and left the castles.

One by one the children returned home. By dark, the tide had come in. The tide washed the castles away.

I Timothy 6.6-8, in the Christian Bible (NRSV), reads, “Of course, there is great gain in godliness combined with contentment; for we brought nothing into the world, so that [some ancient texts read “for sure” or “it is certain that"] we can take nothing out of it; but if we have food and clothing, we will be content with these.”

The way of Compassion and Kindness calls us to choose a more simple lifestyle. In this way, we choose to leave off less, that others may have enough.

We are encouraged to do this by understanding a central truth, stressed in the above story. Everything is impermanent. Nothing we buy, sell, maintain ... is going to last. All, in time, becomes nothing more than sand castles on a beach, to be washed away.

Once, a friend spoke to me, a dear person who had once enjoyed a life with much more than enough. The friend commented, “When you've had it, it's hard to live without it.”

We cannot justly assume entitlement to more than enough. Certainly not, when so many do not have enough. I am not contending for everyone to vow to simplicity. I am asking, “How can we choose a path other than contentment and thanksgiving with enough, when so many in our world live with far less than enough?”

Likewise, through living with less, we have less to occupy our time. Imagine, with all the time we use to maintain what we really do not need, if we used that time for quality time with family, friends, community, and ourselves in relationship to the Divine Spirit?

Reflect on ways to practice contentment regarding material things? What are ways you could simplify your life, and have more quality time for others, yourself, and the Divine Spirit?

OneLife Ministries is an independent ministry, but not presently with nonprofit legal status. Love gifts to support the spiritual Work of Brian Kenneth Wilcox are appreciated.

Thanks!

Brian Kenneth Wilcox

©Brian Kenneth Wilcox Ministries, and Love Light Fellowship. 01/20/11

*OneLife Ministries is a ministry of Brian Kenneth Wilcox, SW Florida. You can order his book An Ache for Union from major booksellers. To book events with Brian, go to Facebook and his page Brian Kenneth Wilcox, or write him at briankwilcox@yahoo.com .