And Because

'Love will live on and never leave.'

from 'To Where You Are' by Josh Groban

When I was eighteen or so, I came to the realization that I was going to do something extraordinary with my life. It was with the greatest confidence that I accepted this fact. I wasn't sure at the time what it would be. I mean, what does an eighteen year old know about 'extraordinary' anyway? I was content to wait it out and see. I didn't set goals nor did I push my luck. I sat back and waited. Some may say I'm still waiting. I say different.

You see, rather than doing something extraordinary, I have become extraordinary. I think that's what God was trying to tell me all those years ago. But as a teenager planning the rest of my life, I misinterpreted His message. I heard Do Something Extraordinary; He meant Be Extraordinary. Or maybe He was telling me that I AM extraordinary. Already. Which again as a teenager who hadn't done much of anything except survive most of high school, I wasn't quite ready to understand. Now, more than twenty years later, I know. I am extraordinary.

I hesitate to say that I've changed lives (though some say I have). I prefer to say that I've 'opened minds'. If those open minds changed lives, I'm happy. Have I made a difference? Yes. Will I continue to try to make a difference through the opening of minds? Yes. It's my life's work. Even if I never do anything more than mix paint at the World's Largest Home Improvement Retailer, I will continue my work. There are minds to open everywhere - in Austin, in Texarkana, in a million places around the world. All I hope for is the smallest difference that may one day, without  my help, change the world by changing the way we see our fellow human beings (if that isn't too Jesus of me to say...).

I'm not extraordinary because of all that. I am extraordinary because of love. And because of that love, I have always been extraordinary. If God says so, who am I not to believe? From the moment I believed I was going to 'do something extraordinary' (in my youthful misinterpretation), I believed that I was worthy. And because I believed I was worthy of extraordinary things, I began to love myself, truly love myself. In the midst of everything that came next - anorexia, nasty breakups, battles with the Blue Meanies, lost jobs, desolate loneliness - I was always assured of one thing - I loved myself. And because of that love, I came to see myself as extraordinary and able do extraordinary things.

I will admit that it's only recently that I have come to understand the true nature of that love. You see, intermixed with my love for myself was God's love for me. He was there first because without my acknowledgement of His love (which I never realized I was doing), I never would have been able to love myself as I do. He was always there with a deep and abiding love for me and a knowledge that I am extraordinary. And the best part? I'm not the only one. God created us all equal, in His image (meaning with his godliness), and gave us a Divine Light. It is this light that makes us extraordinary. All of us. Not just Mother Theresa and Jesus. We are extraordinary. Or will be, when we get rid of everything that holds us back and truly accept God's love and begin to love ourselves.

And because few realize this, the world is where it is. It's also why there is so much work to do. I don't open minds by prying on them with a crow bar. I open minds by sharing love - the love I have for myself and the love I have for others. Love is absolutely all there is and all that matters. Love opens minds which allows for more love. It's an amazing circle.  If only everyone could love themselves and  believe in God's love, the world would be a very different place. That's the minimum standard for truly loving others, my friends. We must first love ourselves and acknowledge God's love. Otherwise we are doomed to continually seek (and never find) something outside ourselves that feels like love. What's more, we are doubly doomed because if we don't know how to love ourselves, we can't possibly know how to love someone else (For those of you who actually believe in Hell, all that may sound vaguely familiar...).

It is in this world, a world without love, that fear reigns. It is within this heart, a heart without love - a true and abiding love for the self that acknowledges God's love, that fear reigns. With fear there cannot be love. With love there cannot be fear. And because love makes us extraordinary, God was right (like I ever doubted Him). I am extraordinary. I promise that it's easier than it sounds. Search within, find your Divine Light, and before you know it, you'll be extraordinary, too. Truthfully, you already are. You just don't know it yet.