Most every day I’m journeying on the coastal path by Kealia Beach. Depending on my mood and energy level, I walk or I run or I do a little of both.

Today, this man whom I’ve seen before ran by me, asking me if I was going to be in ________________  in September. I couldn’t hear what he said, but it was some sort of marathon. I questioned him about it and he breathless with a smile, he shouted, “You have to challenge yourself or you won’t have anything to work toward.” He’s right. I’ve run most of my adult life, and the time I’ve put the most into it was when I prepared myself for a marathon and ran it.

So, he kept prompting me. He came back around to me again and said, “Challenge yourself.” he shouted. Okay, I get it. I ran most of the way back to my car.

Now, I do not know whether or not I want to run a marathon. Most of me says no, but he got me thinking. I know if I truly wanted to, I could and I would; however, did I want to focus my energy in that direction. I run plenty of spiritual marathons everyday.

His voice echos in my mind about challenge and how important it was to him and how we was trying to tell me it was important for me too. He doesn’t know me. How does he know I need to be challenged? More than likely, he was just talking about himself, but he was in my field of awareness, so I have to check in and see if there is a message for me too. There was.

Lately, I’ve been wanting others to live up to my expectations of this teaching. I love this teaching of Science of Mind and have been working hard on embracing it and embodying it. It is the most important thing in my life – to live this Principle. However, what I realize from this brief encounter with the man on the path is that just because running a marathon is important to him, it might not be to me. Just because living this teaching to my highest potential is important to me, doesn’t me others feel the same way.

We are all where we are in life, making choices everyday, setting priorities and deciding how we want to live and what is important to us. It’s not my responsibility to bring anyone to my level of anything or to tell them they need to challenge themselves, be a minister, practitioner or even take classes.

This is quite a relief and it also says something else to me. I makes me truly understand that my path is my path and what I do and how I grow is mine to do. My mission is to live by example, and if anyone cares to be part of my journey, they will be there. If not, I have an Infinite companion which is the very Spirit within me. It’s my running partner and takes me to the heights I need to reach in every moment. I don’t need to be prodded and I do not need to prod others. I also know that the right earthly companions for my particular journey will always be with me to assist me and for me to assist them. It is a mutual loving thing, not a challenge.

I’m grateful for the man on the path today. Who knows, maybe I will run that marathon again at some point. I get to choose, and so do you.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita