I can remember a few instances from my childhood where I'd approach my dad after school regarding an incident with a classmate, or even after an incident with my brother or sister, and complain to him that the person called me a bad name or said something bad about me or to me. Dad would look at me and say "Well is it true?" And I'd say "No!" And he would go on to ask why I cared so much about what someone said if it wasn't true. I think on some level I understood what he was saying, but I couldn't quite apply that piece of wisdom to my life. At the time, I felt completely justified in taking offense and wanted him to agree with me at how horrible this was.
This memory returned to me at a recent ACIM conference I attended. The speaker said something to the effect of "the best defense is not to attack someone else's position, but to protect the truth." I don't need to attack things I don't like or that I disagree with. In fact, when I do, I allow those things power over me. By attacking what is false, I make it real in my mind. But what does it mean, "to protect the truth"? For me, I think it means to honor the truth of who I am in any situation as reflected simply in the way I live my life. Love is all that is real. The truth is that nothing can ever separate me from Source. By extending love in all situations, by living from that place of truth within me as I respond to and take action in the world, I cannot help but protect the truth. I don't need to prove the truth and the truth certainly does not need me to defend it. The truth just is. Thank God, because that takes a lot of pressure off of me!
Looking back, I think what my dad was tring to explain to me was that I know who I am and I just need to go about my life being who I am. However others choose to perceive me and the choices I make for myself is up to them. My choice is to perceive myself and others through the eyes of love and forgiveness. My choice is to simply be me. I may make mistakes, I may at times still choose the ego as my teacher, and it may take me a while to move beyond some grievances into the light of love and forgiveness, but I can honestly say that I am doing the best I can and that's all any of us can do. Much love to all : )
