Whispers of Insight: A Perspective and Context for “Whispers”
It’s been said that intuition is the diligent messenger of Spirit. When I first began compiling my thoughts into a collection of writings for this book, I thought that "Whispers" would be my attempt to provide others with guidance on how best to live a successful life. It was a noble thought, but ill-timed at best and very naïve.
But let's set aside naïveté for the moment; I was young, somewhat arrogant, and mostly ignorant about life and just about everything related to it, but I did have a vision. In my mind's eye, I saw a giant wheatfield stretching as far as I could see out to the horizon. Cut into that endless vision of tall brown shafts were pathways, rivers of wind winding their way through the wheat, bending the tall shafts, and revealing direction. I saw that endless field of wheat and the pathways cut by the wind as symbolic of my life's journey and the inspirations or insights I had experienced that helped me determine which path to follow as I made my way down life’s road.
As I grew older and experienced more of life’s richness and regrets, I came to understand that the direction or pathway to follow on one’s journey might be revealed in very different ways. At times, the direction is obvious, like a tempest ripping its way through the field and bending the tall plants to the breaking point as they lean forward with clear direction. At other times, we must stand quietly and strain our eyes, using all our senses to catch a whisper of inspiration; the tall shafts flutter in the breeze and quietly point our way forward.
Many years have passed since I first had that vision, and I've experienced a lot of life along the way. Inspiration comes to us in many ways if we are open to receiving it. But I have also learned that just because someone receives inspiration, it doesn't necessarily mean that the person follows the right pathway in life. Free choice and human will always trump divine inspiration; it's our hand to play and our soul to gamble and lose.
That is why it is so necessary for us to stay connected to the Spirit within us. The better connected we are, the better our chances are of finding and following the right path for us in our lives as we move forward toward our destiny.
What I have come to understand through my many failures, disappointments, victories, and reconciliations in life is that while we all share a common destiny, the path we take towards that destiny will significantly impact how much joy, peace, and love we gather as we make our way home. It seems all too obvious, but it's too important to be left unsaid.
My journey has included experiences that have bounced me between heaven and hell, with lots of time spent in between the highs and lows of life. I now realize that sharing my life experiences and my moments of inspiration, is a way to help others find within themselves the echoes of their victories and the inspiration they need to find the opportunity and humility to live out their lives in happiness and in the faith that for them, as it is for me, the best is yet to be!
Questions for Reflection
How do you discern between the "obvious" and "whispered" forms of inspiration in your own life?
How do you navigate your personal decisions to ensure you are on the right path?
How can you find balance between divine guidance and free will?
