Last night I had the honor of hosting a book signing for Mari Rose. We met in Amy Ayoub's amazing speech class -www.thezenspeaker.com - and when Mari said her book was coming out the beginning of September I had to have a party!! The friends, family and fellow alumni of Amy's class made for a very interesting and diverse group. With few exceptions we hadn't met before last night, but the bond we experienced was undeniable. That bond gave us trust to explore feelings and thoughts, which helped us learn a great deal.
I am forever fascinated about how people think, and Mari offers a challenge to reach inside of ourselves and face the obstacles that keep us from peace and happiness. And then she suggests tools to help us get there!!
I am also fascinated by the fact so many of our beliefs are strikingly similar. I believe so strongly in light, energy and intuition, and those were just some of the things Mari talked about. I can add her thoughts to the beliefs I already have to bring new nuances to my thinking. I had lots of things to ponder which always makes me happy!!
A question I have is, "Why do we dismiss anothers thoughts and beliefs, when we can so easily learn from them?"
How foolish to lose out on an opportunity to learn and get to know people simply because their beliefs are different. I listened to everything she said last night and incorporated a lot into what I already believe. What I learned didn't diminish my testimony of Jesus Christ. I found such joy in listening to her as she told of her journey, study and work. She is a gentle soul, with a comforting voice that exuded peace. The acceptance we felt for each other was reflected in the laughter and hugs throughout the entire night. You cannot counterfeit the peace we experienced last night.
Washington take a lesson.....
