Looking at society today, we live such abundant lives. We have homes, cars, plenty of food, internet in our pockets. But at some point in our lives we all suffer from “keeping up with the Jones.”

Desire. We all want the things that we see around us. We covet what others have and instead of fostering the qualities they have that give them their glow we often try and mimic it, take it away from them as if there is not enough to go around.

Abundance. Why do we forget? Worse still, why don’t we value all that we have instead of chasing the next best thing. These are the afflictions that humanity has. We always desire something we don’t have and our desire causes us pain. We want what we don’t have, then we get it and it does seem so great anymore. Worse still, we give up something that was good for something that is average.

We are all limited by our own minds and what our ego thinks is possible. Our programing on what we deserve or have what our rights are. Ego baby. Taking something because you want it without thinking often means you have not really thought it through. Imagine, you have just received your paycheck and you spend it all and it feels great. You only have another 13 days to live on air until the next paycheck comes in and then you start the cycle again.

Cycles, circles. What I mean by that we just keep making the same mistakes over and over till we learn the lesson. It becomes even more painful as we get over because at that point we often have others to consider such as children and spouses. And they are affected and hurt by our selfishness.

At the end of the day we do the best we can. If we are honest with ourselves ( few people are honest with themselves because it is painful to face yourself) so most of us make half arsed use of our lives. We all have a real opportunity to grow and understand that pain is universal. Pain is pain whether we are a field mouse or a mother, daughter, father, son, kid who lives down the street.

Don’t ever think that you are alone. Everything you do has consequences that  ripple first through the people close to you and then on down. I might not know you or you could be my best friend, but we all have a responsibility to each other to “live as one” ( thank you John Lennon).