We are here for a reason and that purpose is to learn about the meaning of love. All our adventures on earth are a part of learning to express that high purpose. Knowing we have a purpose enables us to look for and find the “gift” in all situations. One example from my life is when my mother had triple by-pass surgery in her 80s. The gift was that I forgave myself for the arsenal of stockpiled anger I aimed towards her. And I finally forgave her for what I perceived as her “wrongs.” At that time, I realized that her personality was only a very small part of her. In her heart she was a divine soul who only wanted to love and to be appreciated. She just didn’t know how. I was just like her. That was when I decided to follow my heart because I know it leads me home to love.

Our job is to put our love out there and live our truth. The universe will take care of the rest. Our pain comes when we don't follow our heart and when we withhold love. When I'm in doubt about what action to take, I go within my heart to find the answer. That answer is always for the highest good of all concerned. When I follow my head instead of my heart, my ego is in charge and that does not produce harmonious outcomes. It creates more competition for what my ego thinks is a limited resource and what my heart knows is actually abundant. 

We function most powerfully when we are giving love. The world has led us to believe that our well-being is dependent on other people loving us. But this is the kind of upside-down thinking that has caused so many of our problems. The truth is that our well-being is dependent on our giving love. It is not about what comes back; it is about what goes out. Being loving makes us feel good.

Every one has a core self that is perfect – our essential core is peaceful and whole and is unconditional love. The work of healing is in peeling away the barriers of fear and past conditioning that keep us unaware of our true nature of wholeness and love. When we identify with that inner core, respecting and honoring it in others as well as ourselves, we experience healing in every area of life. We feel better.

Chipping away at doubt and fear, we uncover our divine nature, our peaceful inner core. This, in turn, enables us to hear the voice of our heart. You can't follow your heart until you still your mind so you can connect with the mind of God and hear your heart's song.

To receive our good, we must trust that our heart connects us to a force of blessings that  loves us and wants the best for us. We them must be willing to go within our heart, ask for guidance and follow the resulting instincts, intuitions, and opportunities God sends our way.

People, events, and experiences are here not to be labeled or judged, but enjoyed and learned from. We do not need to divide life into either's or or's; we can see the richness of it all. When we follow our heart,  we discover an infinite range of hues, depth, and intensity that makes our journey joyful. As Carlos Castaneda’s Don Juan explained, "All paths lead nowhere, but those who follow the path with heart will bless their journey."