UP TO OUR ELBOWS IN ANGELS

Relationships break down not because people are bad but because they are illiterate in love. To become literate in love, we must learn how to reduce our lifelong preoccupation with our own needs and feelings. -- Today's "Words to Live By," by Eknath Easwaran

Again we are reminded that the source of all our woes is never out there, and our living in the slings and arrows of our youth...or our yesterday...simply proves our preference for pity rather than love...self-pity to be exact. (I heard someone once say that the seduction of self-pity is that it is so sincere...how true is that?)

We would do well to hold to the idea that those with whom we're in conflict are our angels in disguise. That's how we become literate in love. Those angels' sole purpose is to help us grow spiritually...they ease us into looking within to find what’s really causing our upset. Then with God’s help to right it.

There are going to be days when we will feel we're up to our elbows in angels. Remember, it's a lot easier to pray "thank you" when it's angels, not alligators, we're dealing with. And it is our own attitude that makes the choice.

Thank you.