Chapter 83. Breadcrumbs.
February 22, 2015
As a young boy who grew up participating in Cub Scouts and Boy Scouts, I learned from a very early age to plan for the unexpected. I was taught the importance of not only knowing what to do in the event of an emergency, but more importantly, how to plan ahead to try and avoid putting myself in a difficult situation—it was the Boy Scout Motto…Be Prepared!
It’s a great motto. Not only for scouting, but for living life as well. By preparing yourself for the unforeseen, you won’t fend off all of life’s challenges and difficulties, but when you are confronted by them, you’ll be able to meet them head on and with a heightened level of confidence. It’s proven to be an invaluable part of shaping my attitude towards life and has helped me immeasurably in dealing with the challenges of Parkinson’s disease.
In addition to the Scout Motto there was the Scouting Oath or Promise which was recited like saying the Pledge of Allegiance every time there was a Boy Scout meeting or event:
On my honor, I will do my best
To do my duty to God and my country and to obey the Scout Law;
To help other people at all times;
To keep myself physically strong, mentally awake and morally straight.
The interesting thing to note out about the Scout Oath is that it is divided up into three distinct promises, each delineated by the semicolons within the Oath, which divide it into three clauses, and for me personally, these three clauses correlate very strongly with the core beliefs I hold in regards to my own spirituality. The three promises of the Scout Oath are, therefore:
Duty to God,
Duty to other people, and
Duty to self
My spiritual “duty” as I choose to see it is based in love. I have a duty to the universe to live my life in a way that reflects my love of God or Divine Spirit, a love for all people and finally a love of my own spirit or self.
All good stuff. Unfortunately life doesn’t come with a Scout manual.
But it does periodically leave a trail of breadcrumbs.
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One of my favorite activities in scouting was hiking. Hiking meant being in the outdoors and my introduction to meditation. There was nothing better than walking amongst the towering trees, with the only sound being the leaves crunching beneath my feet to make me feel like I was a part of something much bigger. There I understood what it meant to turn off the chatter of the world and allow my mind to be silent. In the woods I could talk to God with such ease—because God was so visible all around me. During my youth, I didn’t see God in people as much as I did in nature. From people I heard hurtful words and saw unkind acts, whereas in nature I saw perfection. While hiking I was at peace.
Yet in Scouts, even when hiking, they taught us to be prepared. Even when walking with God.
We were taught to mark our trail as we hiked so that we would significantly reduce the chance of getting lost or stranded in the woods. If you suddenly found yourself disoriented, the idea was you could easily return the way you had come by retracing the trail markers you had put out along the way. And likewise, someone searching for you could pick up on your trail as well.
The common method for marking your trail was to break a branch periodically, stack some stones along the path, or tie a string every so often to a tree. Anything that would stand out as unusual and would be easily visible if you needed to retrace your route. But never were we to do something like leave a trail of breadcrumbs or food, because the obvious risk was that an animal might come along and devour your clues that would help you get back.
I recently came to the realization that the journey I’ve been on these last two and a half years since being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease has held a lot of similarities to those hikes I used to take as a young boy.
When I began writing Tremors in the Universe, my goal was to document my journey with Parkinson’s disease and my spirituality, and mark my trail as I went by sharing chapters of what I have discovered along the way. I was unsure in the beginning where the journey would take me, and so cautiously I documented my path incase I suddenly found myself disoriented and lost. But ironically, what I came to understand is that the journey isn’t really about going anywhere—it’s about learning to be still, being in the present, and learning to appreciate the here and now.
As I’ve started to clearly see where this journey is taking me, I’ve decided I don’t ever want to come back. So now I’m laying down breadcrumbs.
I know they’re not for everyone, but I’m sure whoever hungers for them will find them.
1. Live for today.
I recently came to the profound conclusion that I have spent the vast majority of my life trying to get somewhere, when in reality, wherever I was at any given time, was right where I needed to be, learning exactly what I needed to learn. I simply wasn’t aware of it at the time. Rather than living present in the present moment, and making the most (and taking the most) from each instant, I was far too often preoccupied
with anticipating an uncertain future, or missing out on today because
of the emotional shackles of a useless past. Seize the gift of being reborn each morning you awake. The past will never return and tomorrow will never come. Today is the only day that is worth living for.
2. Everything you require in life, you already own.
Your greatest strengths and capabilities already exist within you. Discovering and unleashing your true self will bring you more power than any external authority can ever impose upon you.
3. Believing is Seeing. Not the other way around.
To say you will believe it when you see it, is to make a doubters proclamation. You will forever be blind to the beauty the universe holds for you. The transformations you see in your life will come from the intentions in your heart. When you truly believe in something with all your heart, you will see it come to be.
4. Choose to be happy.
The only things we can completely understand are the things that we have experienced for ourselves. Observing someone else’s experience does not make it yours. Don’t choose to accept the negativity of someone else’s experience when you’ve never had the experience for yourself. Remember, “Believing is Seeing”. Believe this new experience you are going to have is going to be a positive one, and you will see it be one.
5. Forgive and let go.
Forgiveness is about giving up the hope for a better past. It’s fundamentally for our own sake, for our own mental health. It is a way to let go of the pain we carry. It’s the realization and acceptance that yesterday can never be revisited. Nothing in the past can ever be changed. The easiest way to break the chain that keeps you from moving forward with your life, and held in the past is by releasing your very own grip on it. Forgive and let go.
6. Worry is useless.
Worry is planning for a negative future. Simple as that.
7. No pain, no gain.
Our lives here on earth are a membership to a spiritual health club. We sign up, we come here to do this for the incredible workout it provides. The trials and tribulations, the pains and sorrows, the struggles and failures and the inevitable death that we all must face, are simply the weights we lift to build a stronger spirit and a more resilient soul. It all has purpose. It’s all about growth. It’s about improving who you are.
8. Difficult people are the best teachers.
Never forget that everyone comes from the same source of light. Not everybody remembers who they are and where they came from. But they may very well be here specifically for you. Each and every person holds the potential to offer you a profound gift.
9. Make a difference in the life of another.
It’s great to meditate everyday, eat healthy, seek enlightenment, whatever that means, hell, even go live in a cave if you so desire. The real prize in this world of duality is meaningful connections. Making a difference in the life of another.
Showing compassion, empathy and love will quickly bring you into alignment with your higher self.
10. Go for a walk.
I was interviewed once by a very talented writer and wonderful human being regarding my book Tremors in the Universe. As we sat down, the very first question she asked me was how I define religion versus spirituality? My answer was that I believe religion is choosing to follow the path of another while spirituality is choosing to discover your own path. The bottom line is that however a person achieves realizing their own light and that we all are from one source of love does not matter to me. The path that gets them there is not important. What is important is that they never stop walking.
More to come.
Tremors in the Universe is available in e-book, paperback and hardcover through Balboa Press @ http://bookstore.balboapress.com/Products/SKU-000956591/Tremors-in-the-Universe.aspx or at http://www.tremorsintheuniverse.com
A portion of the authors proceeds are being donated to the National Parkinson Foundation and the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research
Tremors in the Universe Copyright © 2015 by Robert Baittie
Follow me on Twitter @RobertBaittie
