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Laura V. Hyde Gifts of the Soul
Apr-May 2004
by Laura Grace


Gifts of the Soul by Laura Hyde
Gifts of the Soul


Life's Crossroads: Love-vs-Fear

Each day, each hour, every instant, I am choosing what I want to look upon, the sounds I want to hear, the witnesses to what I want to be the truth for me. –A Course in Miracles

All of us, at one point or another, reach a crossroad in our life. For some, the fork-in-the-road may be healing an addiction. For others, the crossroad may be creating an authentic relationship with self and others. But whatever thoughts no longer satisfies the heart and soul, the individual is compelled to choose, to take a risk and begin traveling down a higher path.

In my own life, I have reached a crossroad many, many times. Each new crossroad has offered me an opportunity, a new way of living life. Risk and excitement, coupled with fear and uncertainty has sometimes caused me to say "no" to certain opportunities and "yes" to others, depending on my emotional and spiritual state of mind. Some of my most momentous life’s crossroads include leaving corporate America and choosing work that fulfills and nurtures my soul; meeting Tom, my husband, and committing to creating an open, honest, spiritual foundation for growth and love; writing my first book; parenting my daughter as consciously as possible; selling all of my possessions and relocating from the Midwest to California. All of these events were preceded by a choice, a fork in the road—I could either keep doing what I was doing (and get the same results), or, I could choose a different road to walk down.

However, the most important crossroad I have reached—over and over again—is one familiar to all of us: love-versus-fear. This one appears day-by-day, hour-by-hour, moment-by-moment. Every day we are presented with a choice, a crossroad that has the power to change us forever, to recreate our lives. There comes a time when we make a non-negotiable choice between fear and love. When self-doubt and uncertainty shouts loudly to us, we can ask, "If I had no fear, what would I do?" Or, "If only love is real, what would I choose in this situation? Which road will I walk down?" As we choose love, we relax and open, our edges are softened and our breathing becomes deeper. Or, as a wise student in my Course in Miracles group recently stated, "If I were to describe what the Course teaches me in one word, that word would be "relax." Touché.

So relax right now and take a moment to reflect on your life. Choosing love means making choices that expand your well being, heightens your aliveness and empowers you to stretch beyond your comfort zones. It entails reaching out to those you love instead of withdrawing. It requires saying "no" to something because there is a higher "yes" within you. One of my favorite quotes is from Mark Twain in which he stated, "Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover."

Are you standing before the crossroads of love-vs-fear? Have you been repeating the same pattern only to see that it’s no longer working? Has the time come for you to walk down a different road? Doing so means change and for most of us, change can be frightening. Our fear of change is the reason why we keep walking down the same path even though we keep falling into the same old potholes. It’s not so much that things outside of us will change, but rather, that we must change in order to embrace the new.

If you believe you’re at a crossroads but are experiencing some doubt and hesitation…just jump! Imagine yourself already on the other side of your dilemma. Look back with appreciation for the courage you summoned to take a different path, that courage, or faith, is always available because it’s a part of you.


© Copyright 2004 Laura Grace. All Rights Reserved.


 Laura's Books:

Gifts of the Soul by Laura Grace              The Intimate Soul by Laura Hyde


Read Laura's Past Columns:

January-February 2004 - "Faith the Foundation for Every Dream"

December 2003 Column - "Touching the Heart of Others"

November 2003 Column - "Knowing How to Care for Yourself"

October 2003 Column - "Dreaming a Happy Life"

May 2003 Column - "Living the Authentic Life"

April 2003 Column - "Rising Above the Battleground"

March  2003 Column - "Healing Through Your Relationships"

February 2003 Column - "Are You Going with the Flow?"

January 2003 Column - "Living the Soulful Life"

December 2002 Column - "The Power to Change"

November 2002 Column - "Peace Begins at Home"

October 2002 Column - "Spiraling to Higher Ground"

September 2002 Column - "Cradled in Nature's Arms"

August 2002 Column - "Recovering Your Soul"


Laura V. Hyde
Laura Grace
is Co-founder of Infinite Wisdom, an organization dedicated to the highest human capacity, and a national author and speaker. As a regular contributor for publications across the U.S. and Canada, Laura writes about human awareness and spiritual growth. Laura is the author of the widely acclaimed books The Intimate Soul and Gifts of the Soul, and the creator and teacher of various programs including the Self-Mastery Program, The Art of Compassionate Forgiveness, Wonderful Women: Reclaiming Our Power, Passion and Purpose, and Cultivating the Intimate Life. Please visit Laura's web site at: www.LauraGrace.net.

As a spiritual counselor, Laura provides assistance in person and by phone. You may contact her for a free brochure at: laura@lauragrace.net.

 

Visit:
www.LauraGrace.net

 

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