Perhaps one of the greatest gifts we can give another is to mirror something back that we do not yet see. When someone does not behave in a way that we would like them to, perhaps releasing them from the image you hold of them will make a positive difference. If you find someone who rubs you the wrong way, hold an image of them as you would like it to be; kind, cooperative, compassionate. If you find someone who is undependable, hold them as dependable, if you see someone as closed and aloof, unapproachable, hold instead an image of someone who is open, approachable. In this effort we are not trying to change another. We are changing ourselves to reflect what we wish to see. This is modeling, not leading. It is inviting and inclusive, not closed and judgmental. Will it work? Yes. It can and does work. The opposite certainly works so why would this not work? Let’s try it and see.
© 2016. Reverend Eileen DeRosia Patra
Rev. Eileen is an ordained Unity minister currently serving at Unity of Livonia in Livonia, Michigan.
ZEST, an energetic quality that increases excitement or flavor is a powerful aspect of being. A tiny amount of ZEST from the outer skin of a lemon adds an incredible amount of flavor to a dessert. Add too much and the dessert may become bitter, overcome by the astringent flavor. ZEST, like the spiritual faculty of ZEAL must be used with discretion. When our excitement for an activity is balanced with Love, Understanding and Wisdom, we are propelled with ease and grace toward our goals. Today, I tune in to this natural ZEST for life. I allow the powers of Love, Wisdom and Understanding to balance the flavor of my being and I step forward with a mighty and Zest for the Life and all that is mine to do.
A TELESCOPE houses a set of lenses that allow us to see over a great distance. As I look through my telescope I can see the eagles nesting in the cellular tower ½ mile away. They are just tiny specs, almost imperceptible to my physical eyes, but focusing this set of lenses I can see them as they build their nest, raise their young and then fly off to distant places. Through these lenses I can see the stars, satellites passing by, and the craters of the moon. I can see things that are always there but too far away to see. Did you know that we each have a telescope within us? There are lenses we see through that can be focused to see more clearly. We call this perspective and we can choose a new perspective any time. We can also widen the lens to include other perspectives, gaining a greater view. We also have within us the ability to see the invisible. Some call this faculty the third eye. Some call it clairvoyance. The Hebrew Scriptures called those who could see the invisible prophets. This inner telescope does not need to stretch out to see more clearly. Rather, we simply need to allow the physical eyes to grow dim, to see through them less and behold instead the vision within us. Seeing through spiritual eyes is like viewing a holograph that takes shape in our very midst. The holograph is malleable, formable and greatly responsive to Light. As I view the holographic image of myself and the world around me I see more clearly. Judgment transforms to discernment. Heaviness transforms to movement. Shadows become illuminated. Telescopes are miraculous devices and the telescope in me is miraculously and wondrously made.
BRIDGES are a miracle of human ingenuity. A bridge allows passage across great expanses of water or great chasms in the earth. BRIDGES are wonderful feats of engineering, and they are replicas of BRIDGES within us. Our brains create BRIDGES, or neural pathways, connecting various neurons, and increasing our capacity to acquire, store and take new action on new information. There is a mighty but invisible BRIDGE from head to heart that connects the Power of Divine Love with the thinking and feeling natures, creating greater balance and healthier, more compassionate choices in our lives. And then, there is an innate BRIDGE, seldom fully traversed, that provides a pathway from the personal consciousness to the higher or Christ consciousness. Stepping across this BRIDGE, we bring the personal consciousness under the direction of the Christ Mind and we are transformed. 
LAUGHTER is a gift from God. It is the sound of pure joy emanating through us from the very heart of Spirit. LAUGHTER is a healing miracle, especially when we can let it flow in the midst of challenges. Just as a good cry cleanses our hearts, LAUGHTER quickly follows healing, renewing and shaking loose any remnants of stuck energy requiring release. LAUGHTER knows no race, no creed, no age. It is a sound vibration that connects us on the deepest of levels. Perhaps, today, whatever is going on in our lives or in the world, we can find something to LAUGH about. As LAUGHTER heals the heart, it also energizes and revitalizes. It awakens the indwelling powers of strength and wisdom that we might step into what is ours to do and be in a world that aches for transformation. LAUGH. LAUGH out loud. Let it be the sound of joy and Divine Love expressing, healing, and revitalizing us as we step forward in our ongoing endeavors to create a world that works for all.
ANCHORS are the miracle that keeps us stable in the midst of the waves and winds of life. When boating, an anchor keeps us in the place of our choosing, minimizing the effect of wind and waves. As I watched the 4th of July parade from my paddle boat last week I became acutely aware of how an anchor would have been useful. The wind was gentle but steadily moved me toward a sea of lily pads. Although beautiful to view, the lily pads get tangled in the paddle wheel and wrap around the rudder making it almost impossible to move or steer the boat. Much of my time during the parade was spent paddling away from the lily pads. It was a bit distracting and rather exhausting leaving me with little energy for the return trip. In our lives, we have a variety of ANCHORS that keep us from drifting away from where we choose to be. Our ANCHORS may be Friends, Family, Mentors, or our Spiritual Foundation. An affirmation, a statement of Truth or a deep faith in a Power greater than ourselves can ANCHOR us in a stable place of consciousness, reducing the effects of the winds and waves of life. ANCHORS are a miracle granted to each of us and they sometimes show up in unexpected places, people and events. For the ANCHORS in our lives to be effective, we have to use them; drop them into the watery energy that is our thoughts, feelings and emotions. ANCHORed in the gifts of Spirit, we remain stable, our rudder stays clear, and we can steer through the winds and waves of life with ease and grace.
Eileen Patra 