I have given everything I see in this room all the meaning it has for me.
1-2-2024
Last night I was working in my office and a bug crawled up the wall behind my computer monitor. I got my cat, Earl, to try to help me get rid of it. Earl just knocked it down behind my desk so I don’t know where it went.
This morning, doing the exercise, when I looked in that direction, I was aware I might see the bug. Mr. Bug is a strong example of a thing I have put a strong meaning upon. Its not even as simple as ‘I don’t like bugs’. I have rules for them: they are OK in the garden (even exciting and beautiful at times), or they are a slightly scary pest inside my house. The fear comes with thoughts that Mr. Bug might get on my body.
I put so much meaning onto a little critter that has no clue I exist, and that he is crossing boundaries I have set in my mind.
I am not very good at sharing this world.
Tricia, you have gone through this life thinking everything and everyone must stay in a certain place so that you can be OK.
Is my goal in this life to control well? (I want to love well!)
I have given everything I see the meaning that it has for me. What would Love do?
1-2-2023
I have given everything its meaning. Building on yesterday’s notes, the lesson points out that I assign meaning to the world around me.
It feels harsh to say there is no meaning to the things I love. Looking ahead to lesson 3, of ‘I don’t understand’, reminds me that I can like, love, dislike things based on my own limited perspective.
Why do I love this one plant before me?
My mind says that plants are living beings, come from the Earth which is sacred. But I’m loving this one plant as right now it is beautiful with full leaves and flowers. If it was dormant, like many others around me, it would be an easy object to think meaningless. Its beauty influences my perspective to think it is good and to feel love toward it.
Its beauty feels like love toward me; it is giving … a light in the world. And I sense it.
Thank you plant for reminding me of the Christ light I want to keep shining.
![](https://i0.wp.com/triciabatessmith.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/merton.png?resize=584%2C324)
1-2-2022
In the video today from Robert and Hollie, Robert spoke about the initial practice of changing how we see everything.
“Nothing I see in this room means anything.” ~ WB Lesson 1
He said to change from thinking of all the meaning we assign to things and instead come to question what the item is, brings, expresses as itself.
This gave me a little glimmer in my mind that this practice, when applied to other people, may get me to where I want to be of non-judgmental.