Universal Life Church

By Rev. Stacy Zemon

Your Grand Awakening

There comes a time in your life when you finally begin to really 'get it.' When in the midst of all your fears and incessant mind chatter you suddenly stop dead in your tracks and realize, 'Enough!' Enough fighting and crying over and struggling with ?what is.? Suddenly you grow up. And, like a child quieting down after a temper tantrum, your sobs begin to subside, you blink back your tears and through a mantle of wet lashes you begin to look at the world through new eyes.

This is your Grand Awakening. The moment when you realize that it's time to stop hoping and waiting for happiness, safety and security to present themselves to you on a silver platter. You come to terms with the paradox of life that miracles occur all the time, and yet there aren't always fairy tale endings (or beginnings for that matter) to situations or relationships in your life. You realize that "happily ever after" must begin with you and within this realization a sense of self-empowerment and serenity emerges.

You awaken to the fact that in your humanness you are not perfect and that not everyone will always love, appreciate or approve of who you are. And that's okay. You learn the importance of loving and championing yourself, and in learning to do this you discover a new found sense of confidence born of self-approval and self-love.

In the moments that flow from this Grand Awakening, you stop blaming other people for the things they did to you (or didn't do for you). You realize that the only thing you can really count on is that you are a child of God and that things in your life will change. Knowing this, you stop fearing and learn to embrace the unexpected. You learn that people don't always say what they mean or mean what they say, and that not everyone will always be there for you, and that it's not always about you. You begin to appreciate the gift of learning to take care of yourself, and in this process a sense of safety and security is born of self-reliance.

You stop judging and pointing fingers, and you begin to accept people as they are, and to overlook their shortcomings and human frailties. You learn to forgive. And you realize that much of the way you view yourself and the world around you, is a result of all the messages and opinions that have been ingrained into your psyche. And you begin to sift through all the crap you've been fed about how you should behave, how you should look, what you should wear, what you should do for a living, whom you should sleep with or marry, and what you have the right to expect of yourself and others.

You learn to open up to new worlds and different points of view. And you begin reassessing and redefining who you are and what you really stand for. You learn the difference between wanting and needing, and you begin to discard the doctrines and values you've outgrown or should never have bought into to begin with. And in the process you learn to go with your instincts and with the Divine Guidance you feel inspired by.

Inside of your awakening, you come to know that it is truly in giving that we receive. And that there is incredible bliss and glory in creating and contributing, and you stop manipulating your life because you simply don?t trust that everything is perfectly alright just as it is. You learn that principles such as honesty and integrity are not the outdated ideals of a by gone era, but the mortar that holds together the foundation upon which you must build a just and righteous life.

And you learn that you don't know everything. It's not your job alone to save the world, and that you can't teach a pig to sing. You learn to distinguish between guilt and responsibility, and about the importance of setting boundaries and learning to say "no." You learn that the only cross to bear is the one you choose to carry. Then you learn about love in its almost infinite varieties. You discover who to love and how to love them, how much love to give and when and how to express your love. You learn not to project your needs onto a relationship, and to see them as they really are, not as you would like them to be. You stop trying to control people, situations and outcome. You realize that just as people grow and change, so it is with love.

And you learn that being alone does not mean being lonely. You come to the realization that you do deserve to be treated with love, kindness, sensitivity and respect and that you are no longer willing to settle for less. You allow only the hands of a lover who cherishes you to honor you with their touch. In the process you internalize the meaning of self-respect.

You learn that for the most part in life, you get what you truly believe you deserve, and that much of life truly is self-fulfilling prophecy. You learn that anything worth achieving is worth working for, and that wishing for something to happen is different from working toward making it happen. You also learn that while no one person can do it all alone, each of us makes a difference because of our individual contributions.

As you step right into and through your fears, you know that whatever happens you can handle it. And you start enjoying your life and not squandering it living under a cloud of impending doom. Yes, life doesn't always seem fair. You don't always get what you think you deserve. Sometimes bad things do happen to good people. However, this isn't because God is punishing you or failing to answer your prayers. It's just life happening now. And there is always a valuable lesson inside of painful experiences if you can only see what that lesson is.

You learn to be grateful and to take comfort in the simple pleasures of life. Things that millions of people upon the earth can only dream about; a full refrigerator, clean running water, a long hot shower, laying down in a comfortable bed at night without fear that you and your loved ones will be killed while you sleep.

Slowly you begin to take responsibility for yourself by yourself, and you make yourself a promise to never betray yourself. And to never, ever, settle for less than your true heart's desire. And you smile in the quiet moments of realization that you are being true to yourself. And you make a point to keep smiling, to keep trusting, and to stay open to every wonderful possibility. Finally, with courage in your heart, and with God and your loved ones by your side, you take a stand. You take a deep breath. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, you fly into the new life you have designed as the new you. And you know that the sleeper has awakened.

Copyright 2002, Reverend Stacy Zemon

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