Most of you who read my ‘Smiles’ believe in a Greater Power, in one form or another.  Your Greater Power is good, and there are no exceptions to this.  Even events which you consider tragic contain Its compassion, even though Its care over you in those events may remain obscure to you.

Leading a righteous life is no guarantee that you won’t endure suffering, but it is what makes your love or knowledge of your Greater Power real.  Being good most of the time (we all err at times) will result in a reward in the World to Come.  And if you don’t believe in a hereafter, you still have the satisfaction of knowing that you led a life which left a positive impression on your world.

When you have to deal with tragedy, it is the compassion that your Greater Power has for you which allows you to deal with it in this world rather than in the next.  And again, if you don’t believe in a hereafter you still know that the trials and tribulations which you go through make you a better person.

When you’re feeling inspired, whether intellectually or spiritually, take your feeling like a  healthy meal.  Your hunger for growth should not be to take a buffet plate piled high.  This kind of ingesting is for cheaper quantity, not quality.  You can end up overwhelmed, and much of your gain is not mental or spiritual “muscle”.

Instead, choose a well prepared and sensible portion of intellect or spirituality to feast on.  This kind of meal is based on quality.  You can appreciate more of what you ingested, and what you digest is better retained for your mind and soul.   

We all think bad or negative thoughts from time to time.  Yet in all of the animal kingdom, only man, by exercising his free will to suppress his negative or evil inclinations, can make a positive contribution to the cosmic drama to bring about a gentler and kinder way of life. 

When a topic of discussion causes you to react heatedly to another, it makes the other person respond harshly as well.  This turns a discussion into an argument, and the emotions on both sides tend to escalate.  The conversation transforms from a civil and intelligent dialogue into a discourteous and emotional verbal battle.  No matter who gets in the last word, there is no real winner in this situation.
You can prevent such an outcome by taking control of your inner self.  When you hear an opinion which sharply differs from your own, take the time to pause, reflect, and not answer back immediately.  By doing this, you prevent a lot of distress.   The offensive and defensive nature of another dies down when only that person is engaged in a battle.  When you practice such self discipline, you avoid sinking in to a spiritual abyss and instead raise yourself to a higher spiritual plane.  Then you become the winner.