I’ve heard the expression with the study of language: “Use it or lose it.” It’s true. It’s why I’ve never been able to consistently study and learn a language although I used to say, I want to learn to speak this or that. I needed to make the commitment to use it. And, I didn’t. I just dabbled here and there, so I lost it. It just wasn’t on my list of important things to accomplish.

Something else is though. It is the great commitment I have to use the Principles I have been learning for the past 20 years about myself and the Universe. I know that I must use these Principles in order to prove that I know them. Ernest Holmes, Founder of Science of Mind wrote, “To suppose that one must retire from the world to be spiritual is one of the greatest possible mistakes. This is directly opposed to the self-evident truth that Spirit enjoys Itself only in Its own works, which is Its self-manifestation. We enter into the Spirit of Life only as we enter into the spirit of living.”

And so, we live life and use the Principles of life. If we sit and say we are love and then do not prove it by being in the world as love, what good is it? It’s just a bunch of words. If we say, we live in an unlimited Universe and then are always worried about whether or not we can pay our bills, what good is it? We do not believe what we are saying, because we cannot live it.

Right now, the only thing I am truly interested in is living the Principles I read and study. Last week, when we left the retreat “From Chaos to Coherence,” Dr. Lipton said, “Use it or lose it.” We had received a lot of information, but if we do not put it to use, it is useless. We will lose it. We will forget it and go back to our old ways.

And so, today, I’m going to be totally honest with you. I am putting my complaint free bracelet on and starting my 21 days over again. Why? Because after taking it off, I forgot to really use the Principle I had learned. It snuck up on me and I do not like it. Obviously, I didn’t establish a habit. And so, there you go. Use it or lose it. I do not feel good when I complain, so I am willing to go back to my self-schooling.

I am a student of life and I love it. I love all of it. It’s a great adventure. I love applying Principles. I do not mind having a set-back because I always learn something about myself through the set back. I do not beat myself up. I merely get back up, do not  look back and move forward with what I’ve learned.  If I need a purple bracelet to remind me to use a Principle, I’m up for it. I so what to use this great thing called Life in the highest and best way.

Love and Aloha,

Rev. Rita Andriello-Feren