Our Greatest Gift

"What is known as realization is merely feeling this immaculate presence here and now,

realizing or being fully cognizant of the ordinary miracle of just being."

Catherine Ingram

We can often find ourselves searching for 'something' to give our lives more meaning; a better job, a juicy relationship or more money; the avenues are endless when it comes to looking 'out there' for ways to distract ourselves from the feeling that we are 'not yet enough' as we are. Still, no matter how much we acquire or how much we do, the pleasure and happiness we derive from our efforts, lasts about as long as it takes for the mind (the voice in our head) to come up with yet another desire to fulfill.

Feeling like a dog chasing it's tail, we grow exhausted from this endless search, and if we are lucky, we finally grow disillusioned from the chase, and realize that we are never going to find peace or joy in this endless pursuit of 'something more'. Yet, what we find when we come to a full stop (if we are willing to actually stop), is the miracle of our own innate awareness; perfect and full just as it is. In this coming home to ourselves here and now, we discover the home we have never left, and the fullness of being that is shining in every moment.

We also realize that, though we have searched our whole lives for who we are, we have never actually left ourselves for even a moment, but had simply wandered off into the endless corridors of the mind, in search of what has always been in front of our faces. When we call of the search for 'ourselves' and simply relax as what we already are, we find the peace and joy that we have spent eternity looking for in the endless pursuits in the world. By simply stepping backward into the awareness that is looking through our eyes right now, we discover our greatest gift; the fullness of our own being that is ever present and ever new joy.