Miracle #24 - God Will Correct All Errors In My Mind

 

Photo Credit: Daiga Ellaby

I went on an amazing trip to Kripalu Yoga Center in Stockbridge, Massachusetts last week to attend a Forgiveness Workshop presented by Byron Katie.

I thought that I was going to forgive my issues with money and weight. And while I did do a little work on those two issues, my biggest miracles occurred in connection to special relationships. 

I want to share one that involved my younger sister. I didn't think I still had grievances with her, but during the workshop a story surfaced that contained a lot of subconscious guilt.

We were probably 7 and 8 years old and it was summer time.

We were attending a Girl Scout day camp, and my mom was in a hurry to get us to the bus as we were running late. My mom jumped into the car and accidentally backed over several kittens as she pulled out of the driveway, killing them.

Of course she didn't realize that the kittens were there, and she was distraught. My sister began to cry and was still bawling when we got onto the bus. All of the other girls wanted to know why she was upset, and I repeated the story numerous times to them. 

For nearly 50 years I had felt bad about the way that I handled this situation.

I wished that I had been more comforting to my sister and sat with her and given her a hug. Instead, I relished the attention from all of the other girls on the bus. 

When I filled out the "Judge Your Neighbor" worksheet, I found that I had judged myself very harshly for acting so immature in the situation, which just made me laugh out loud!

How "mature" can an 8 year old be under trying circumstances?

As my facilitator walked me through the worksheet, she pointed out that not only had I not been a "bad big sister" in the situation, but that I had actually been a "good big sister" by protecting my little sister from all the curious bystanders.

I felt a huge emotional burden lift from me when I finished this exercise, but even more so a few days later when I texted my sister to ask if she remembered the incident.

She had no recollection of it and hardly even recalled attending Girl Scout camp.

I realized that I had spent most my life punishing myself for something that didn't even exist in her mind!

This morning my sister texted me to say that she'd had a wonderful dream. She woke up today with music in her head and felt the happiest that she had felt in a long time.

I felt chills later as I read my daily Workbook Lesson from ACIM #109:

"You rest within the peace of God today, and call upon your brothers from your rest to draw them to their rest, along with you."

Truly all minds are joined and the release of one leads to the release of others. I saw it happen with my own eyes!

Letting myself off the hook for an imagined sin not only freed me from the prison of guilt and shame, but somehow lifted my sister out of her depression.

I am encouraged and even more committed than ever to the idea that there is nothing more important that one can do than to accept the atonement for oneself.

Thank you, Holy Spirit

We have a mission here. We did not come to reinforce the madness that we once believed in. Let us not forget the goal that we accepted. It is more than just our happiness alone that we came to gain. - ACIM Workbook Lesson 139