We All Sin

We all make mistakes, but do we learn from them?

Glorious morning!

Today we will expand on two quotes from Saint Teresa of Avila. I feel the two can easily go together. The first one

“ saints are sinners who never gave up “ and “ Teach by works more than words “.

Saint Teresa was born in Spain 1515 and died in 1582.

What the quote says to me is, We all sin. We are here to learn how to sin less. Hopefully we get close or become saintly. To be an example to people. Remember the saying , Walk the walk, don't just talk the talk. I think to be an example of a good person is to make sure your expectations of others behavior is behavior you are already modeling or it makes us hypocrites. Let’s face it, if Hitler was telling the people to be a good and loving person, it would not match his actions.

I think we have all been guilty of seeing something on the news that shows something like there is a shortage of foster parents to foster children and we feel horrible and say what a travesty it is, but do nothing about it. We just go back to our everyday lives telling others how sad it is that there are not enough people adopting foster children and it ends there. To live as an exemplary example of a selfless human being like a lot of Saints mastered before they became saints is no small task. The good news is, we are all a work in progress and we all make mistakes that are redeemable. If we learn from our mistakes and are able to feel the sorrow we may have caused others, then that is an awesome opportunity for growth. The more we learn from our mistakes, the wiser we become. The more we humble ourselves to learn, we get spiritually stronger. You can bet Saints are not hanging around the television watching CNN and saying “ those crazy &%$!*!!!!” lol. They have learned the art of seeing the world for what it is and not fighting against it but thinking, what can I do to help make it a better place, not just for themselves but for others as well.

When we are able to step outside of our own wants and needs to include others less fortunate, we are teaching by action. When people in need receive our blessings, they experience love in action. It’s nice to tell them how much you care, but showing them is more impactful. When we give of ourselves, it’s also a sign that we are grateful. Helping a senior citizen carry bags to their car not only alleviates a struggle for them and stimulates their gratitude but our own gratitude for being healthy enough to carry the bags for them without a struggle. I think we can sometimes forget how easy it is to be of service to others.

We don't have to become a saint in this lifetime, but following the example of saints is certainly worth it. We need other people who have already been through the fire so to speak and come out the other side a better person, a more grateful person. When we concern ourselves with other people's mistakes and judge them or curse their negative behavior, it's only a diversion of time that could be spent minding our own actions, intentions and behaviors. Many of us are just conditioned from childhood and are unconsciously copying our parent’s behaviors .Others are bitter from negative life experiences that they have not worked through and are carrying resentments, and resentments spill over onto others. If we are truly working on ourselves to become a better person each day, there is very little time left over to judge others and damn them for their imperfections. I still struggle with judging people at times. The good thing is, I catch myself very quickly and reverse it. The only reason my conscience lets me know quickly is because I wanted to become a better person. When we consciously want to improve our character , we start thinking about ways we can do that. We go within. When we stop blaming others, we can use that time to take responsibility for our own behavior. In Fact we all must do that if we want to create a better world.

Do you struggle with judging others? Do you keep making the same mistakes over and over and are confused as to why? Backpack therapy can uncover hidden negativities inside you. Make a free discovery call today. Peace be with you, Dawn

Discovery Call

Book Now