Prohibitions

Why are certain things prohibited? Why impose restrictions? Could a prohibition be a sign of Love?

Photo by Marcial Bollinger on Unsplash

When we are children, we use to hear the word no a lot. For example:

• Do not put your finger in the socket.
• Don't bite your brother.
• Do not take cold.
• Don't go there because it's dangerous.
• Do not do it.
• Do not do that.

Parents use a list of prohibitions to save and protect their children from the evils that could befall them as a result of certain actions.

The younger the child, the less able to understand the extent to which certain attitudes can generate. The parents, then, do not negotiate. They impose prohibitions to preserve themselves from dangers and suffering, both to themselves and to those around them.

As the child matures, the ability to understand grows. The more mature, the greater the sense of the relationship between cause and effect.

Not putting the finger in the socket makes sense because the shock will cause pain. Not biting the brother is understandable because, in addition to causing pain in the other, there may be retaliation. Not taking cold protects you from getting sick and bedridden.

In summary, that list of prohibitions has the character of preserving pain and evil, a sign that parents care and love their children.

A balanced life

When Humanity was in its infancy, out of barbarism, God, Father of infinite love, sent, through Moses, a list of rules for a more balanced life and a harmonious coexistence on Earth.

This list contains the Ten Commandments and, among them, several prohibitions:

1. You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain.
2. You will not kill.
3. You will not commit adultery.
4. You will not steal.
5. You will not say false testimony against your neighbor.
6. You will not want the next man's wife.
7. You shall not covet your neighbor's house, nor his servant, nor his handmaid, nor his ox, nor his donkey, or anything else that belongs to him.

At that time, Humanity was unable to understand the scope of these rules.

It was not aware that these commandments brought the essence of the Divine Laws, the only knowledge necessary for happiness. God has put these laws in our own consciences to guide us towards good. With discernment, we know what we must or not do and are guided to happiness when we follow them, or to unhappinness whenever we violate them.

In the same way that some children defy their parents and violate the rules suffering later, many of us also refuse to follow the Divine Laws. Our immaturity and rebellion against these laws is what causes sufferings for ourselves and for others around us.

Final Thoughts

The only way to live a peaceful and happy life is to not see these prohibitions as authoritarian, but as proof of love.

Those who don't fight with God and its Laws, know that doing so will only make them suffer. They understand that God is a loving Father, waiting for His children (us) to mature and to love and understand these Laws that rule the Earth and the whole Universe.

And God knows that when that happens, no prohibition will be necessary as human beings will act with conscience always aiming for the good of everything and everyone.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on April 19, 2016

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

When I won my Parents

It doesn't matter if we were planned or not. Our parents had us but we won them.

Photo by Natalya Zaritskaya on Unsplash

That seemed to be more of a simple school task for an eight-year-old girl. The handout had problems to be solved and several questions on different subjects.

However, on the last page there was this task: "Make a drawing that represents a remarkable fact of your life."

The young girl drew a woman with a baby in her arms and, beside her, a man, both smiling. Above the scene written in a neat handwriting was: "When I won my parents."

How to contain the tears before such a simple declaration of love?

The girl remembered, with affection, that she had arrived at that loving home, just over eight years ago, through the blessed way of adoption. It was one of the first moments when the little heart thanked God for the opportunity to have a loving family on Earth.

Other children remembered trips, Christmas gifts and trips. Nothing close to how she thanked her parents:

When I won my parents, I also gained the certainty of being loved

When I won my parents, I was flooded with willpower, the desire to get it right and to love too.

When I won my parents, I decided to give love one more chance, and then another, and then another ...

When I won my parents, that's when I really felt protected ...

Be Grateful

Do you remember when you won your parents?

Yes, they are the greatest gift we receive when we are born. We may not yet understand this well, but time and memories will help us understand how everything makes sense.

We all won our parents. And they are not just any parents chosen by the force of randomness, they are the parents we needed, when we needed them.

Let us be grateful for having parents, for our life, for our family, for the love that was given to us, for living a respectful life, for learning so much from their examples. Gratitude is good for everyone. It is good for those who carry it in their hearts. It is good for those who receive it as unexpected fragrant flowers that fall on their hands and make life happier. 

Final Thoughts

Why wait to say thanks? Why wait for that special occasion to acknowledge and express our gratitude to our parents? Why are we so embarrassed to say: "you are important to me, I love you very much!" 

Why be ashamed to love and to say thank you?

Thank your parents while there is time. Thank them still today.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on August 13, 2016.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

When did we forget?

Most of us come from virtuous families so why so many of us become corrupt politicians, bad professionals and beings who only think about themselves?

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In an interview, a young woman said that she was about seven years old when she went to the grocery store near her with her mother. While the mother did the shopping, she, the girl, hid a candy in her pocket.

On the way out, feeling like the smartest girl in the world, the girl showed the candy to the mom and said: Look, I took it without paying.

She received a stern look back. The mother took her by the hand, returned to the market, had her return the candy and asked her to apologize. The girl cried so much from being ashamed but now, years later she understands that that gesture taught her the value of honesty.

Childhood Education

It is possible that several of us have had similar experiences, so we ask: when did we forget the lesson? What made us forget our childhood education?

Childhood is the period in which the human being is mostly malleable to the construction of the self. It is the period when the education given by parents have more weight because after all, they know everything. It is the period where examples speak much louder than words.

How many of us, still had teachers who taught us to be responsible, disciplined and correct? Teachers who devoted their lives to teaching with their own examples? 

Why did we forget?

So why did we leave those noble lessons behind?

If most of us came from homes where we were taught virtues, what made us despise honor and honesty? Why so many of us become corrupt politicians, bad professionals, beings who only think about themselves?

So here are some points that you probably learned in your childhood that are worth reflecting:

• Do not take anything that does not belong to you.
• If you find an object, look for the owner because he must be missing it.
• Respect your neighbor, your space, your property.
• Public goods belong to the people and everyone should benefit from them. No one has to take for themselves what belongs to everyone.
• Respect the domestic servant, the postman, the garbage man. They are valuable contributors to our lives.
• Remember to thank the diligent work of those who delicate their lives to the public.
• Greet peoples smile.
• Give up your place, in the collective, to the elderly, to people with special needs, to pregnant women, to those who carry small children in their arms.
• Give way to traffic, wait a second longer for the pedestrian to complete the crossing, before starting off with speed, just because the signal has opened.

Final Thoughts

Laws are created so that by obeying them, we live better as a society. Let us make a return to childhood and remember the virtuous examples given to us by our parents and our teachers.

The world of tomorrow awaits our correct actions today. Now.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on August 04, 2015.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

When we get old

Unless an unpredictable event happens, you are getting old. Are you ready for it?

Photo by Bruno Martins on Unsplash

Living on Earth is a great challenge. Every change that occurs to us in life, needs adaptation.

But nothing compares to the clash of watching the drama of some of our loves getting older. Especially those who saw us being born, growing up, who taught us so much.

One day, they need help for everything. They can no longer bring food to their mouths. Steps become difficult, indecisive. Yet, even more challenging is accepting this new reality. Accepting that they now need support. Accepting that they can no longer be totally alone.

Yesterday, they ran their own lives. They decided when to get up or go to bed. They could go for a walk alone or with friends. They could go shopping, to the church, to the club or to the park.

But now, all steps are monitored. They can no longer go where they want, whenever they want. No talking with friends or taking the dog for a walk. Rules are now dictated to them. They need to wake up when they want to sleep and sleep when they'd like to stay up a little longer. The food is not what they want but what's prescribed to them.

Life became a real drama.

A real drama

To better understand an elderly person, let's put ourselves in their places. Let's imagine how difficult it would be if we faced of so many difficulties including losses of so many loved ones.

Remember that their souls remain active and willful, although the physical machine is failing in some places. Knowing how to take advantage of this wisdom of the years lived is healthy for us and for them.

Asking them about past events, the history of the country, the world they lived in, will encourage them to remember. Remember them how important they still are to us, to our children, to the generations that are coming. After all, they are living history.

Final Thoughts

Let us honor our elders, whether they be parents, relatives or simply those we live with. Much more important than being placed to take the morning sun, it will be to enjoy, every day, the beneficial rays of affection.

Keep in mind that our children watch us and will learn from us how to treat those who have accumulated wrinkles in the effort for the good of the family, for the progress of the country.

One day we will be there. And we will want to be accepted, understood, respected, loved and met in our needs. And only the Father knows if we will be healthy, lucid or if we will need, intensely, the cares of others.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, originally published on October 20, 2018.

See Also

• The Power of Love
• Weighted observation
• The most important bridge
• Bridge of Life
• A Thinking Power
• Divine Poem

The most important bridge

What would be the most important bridge in the world?

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What would be the most important bridge in the world? Possibly, many images of mega-constructions have crossed your mind. Despite all of them being very useful, certainly none of them is the most important.

Now imagine a mother with her baby on her lap caressing her while breastfeeding with affection. Imagine a child lying on his father's chest, while he gently rubs his hand over his back. Definitely  touching scenes.

But, what does this have to do with the most important bridge in the world? There is, and a lot.

The bridge of dialogue

Our small gestures are the foundations that will support the most efficient and most important bridge in life: the bridge of dialogue. Many parents are unaware that it is from the very first days of their babies' life that the bridge of dialogue must be initiated.

Parents who know this start talking to the child while he is still moving in his mother's womb. And the baby responds, in its own way. However, when this important means of communication and unity is not built, the consequences can be disastrous, as a precipice can open up between parents and children.

Inattentive to this reality, many parents believe that it is only when the child is young that they should be concerned with an approach. Big mistake!

Many parents despair when they try to take a step towards their kids but find deep emptiness. There is no bridge, no way to approach. The children do not hear them. There is no understanding, only one great and sad distance.

Where did we go wrong? They ask themselves without answer.

Building a bridge between us

Finding the answer requires doing a retrospective of your attitudes towards children, even before they reached the world.

The scenes are almost always the same, changing only the scenery and the characters.

The young son, who still doesn't know how to communicate with words, is extremely sensitive to his parents' gestures. But it is treated as if it were just a doll, without reason or feelings. It is not worthy of attention because he does not know how to express itself. It is a mistake, because the children soon show their indignation by acting with rebellion or violence, or isolating themselves from the world.

For all these reasons, it's important to think about this bridge of affection that connects creatures. It needs to be built with care, using the best feelings of tenderness, attention and respect. The only ones that are efficient and durable. As much as technology advances, we have a thousand modes of communication but nothing can replace the warm dialogue between family members.

Being together is not enough

Simply being together is not enough.

It is not enough to sit in the same chair, turn on the TV and watch a good movie. It is necessary to be together, to feel the heart beating, the fleeting looks, the hidden fears.

Consider beginning the construction of that bridge of tenderness today and bring closer to you those who you love. Do not allow the erosion of indifference to open insurmountable ditches between you and those who we love. Approach body and soul, while there is still time.

Conclusion

When the bridge of dialogue is built on the basis of trust and mutual respect, there is nothing capable of overthrowing it. That way affective relationships will always be preserved. 

Think about it.

Adapted from Momento Espírita, Sep 14, 2018.

See Also

• Weighted observation
• The poetry of life
  
• A Thinking Power
• Poverty and Wealth
• Divine Poem