We have experienced several deaths at the end of 2017, and it’s got us thinking more on our own mortality. This morning we reiterated the truth that it is more important to live our life more deeply and more fully now. Then, when death or transition comes it will be easy and natural occurrence. It’s only when we live in the world of regrets and bondage that we fear death.

My committment this year is to live life to the fullest, to be transparent, to love deeply, to be kind, to be honest. This all begins with myself. I must be these things to myself. I love what one of my good friends said to his partner when he professed that he loved him “so much.” He said, “I hope you do not love me more than you love yourself.”

How wise and true that is. Loving ourselves is the key to it all. It’s certainly been one of my biggest life’s lessons and the one, I believe I came to impart to others. I see the results of the opposite, and it is oh so dangerous to our state of well-being.

If there were two commandments, said the great master, Jesus, it would be “to love God, and to love thy neighbor as thyself.” I  understand that we are all incarnations of God, the one Spirit, so this all makes perfect sense. If we would begin here, all else would follow.

What does it look like to love myself? Many people ask this. For me, it is anchored in how I feel about myself. It is about how much I forgive and love myself despite anything I think I might have done. It is taking each moment as new and when I act less than perfect to pivot immediately and bless myself. The other day, I burnt my hand. I immediately went into self-love, telling myself I loved myself until I felt it felt it on a deep level. The burn disappeared.

It’s all about love and if anything is ailing us, turn to love. Ernest Holmes wrote, “Love overcomes everything and neutralizes everything that is unlike itself.” It’s true! Love is the only Power and we are either using it or denying it. We cannot do both at the same time.

I invite us all to love ourselves this year more deeply than we have before. Let us forgive, be kind and trust ourselves. What could be more perfect and trustworthy than a divine incarnation of Spirit/God/Love. And, if someone or something crosses our path that is less than loving, it is just calling for us to love more. Just love more…

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita