Applying "Congruence" Personally
 

To all --

This is both a statement and an announcement.

Recently, my father died. It was unexpected -- and it was sudden, but fortunately quick.

I believe I have worked through the impact of this, but one thing it left in its wake was a new viewpoint on my life I never had before: both of my parents are now dead. I've written about this at some length on my personal blog, but the "Cliffs Notes" version is that I found myself staring into the question: What is my legacy? What do I have to offer of benefit to … to anyone?

Then, lo and behold, I stumble across “The Path to Purpose” on Erin's blog. In this she references Steve's earlier article, “Living Congruently.”

Working through the questions in the exercise, it boiled down to a more fundamental question for me personally: What is the most important thing in my life?

The Inner Light, of course.

I'm sure most of the readers here have their own understanding of this, and call it by any of a billion names. For me there's a special sweetness to this which I describe in my blog article “The Holy.”

There was my legacy, right in front of me. It was my understanding of the Inner Light, and what helps me get there, and stay there.

With that in mind, I have relaunched my Words to Heal and GratefulNotes blogs because, really, this is what they should have been about all along. I shut them both down some time ago because I wasn't reaching my audience, so it was apparent I needed to step back and rethink them.

So, as Steve has said, "Universe, you'd better back me up."

Thank you all,

Daniel, my thoughts are with you and I'm sending you much love.

It seems like some of life's biggest epiphanies happen when both your parents leave -- it's a whole 'nuther sense of self-reliance and self-examination, isn't it?

After my mom and dad died a few years ago, my four brothers and I decided we weren't gonna let anybody adopt us unless they were willing to take all five of us. :) And the whole dynamic of our extended family changed in one day -- roles shifted, personalities transformed, relationships became totally different.

I think it's wonderful that your thoughts during this difficult time are all about what you can contribute to the world.

Best wishes.

Angela --

You hit that one straight on the head -- self-reliance and self-examination.

My brother (my only sibling) clearly is going through the same thing, and though the relationship has been pretty good, there's been a distance. This has made that distance fall away.

I think it's pretty clear that part of why we're here in this life is to make a difference. These changes have made this clearer to me.

Thank you for your kind words and kind thoughts.

Daniel