This morning, as I do most mornings, I catch up on emails and enjoy a rich cup of java when I realized two things:     1) My coffee is cold and tasteless and 2) My cup is half full. 

Did you notice that I said half full and not half empty? This means I can warm it by adding more coffee or dump it and start over with hot fresh coffee.  What should I do?  Warm it by filling up the cup or dumping it and having a fresh, steamy, hot cup? What do you think I will do?

Like the half full or half empty cup above, a half glass of liquid has always been used as a metaphor for a measure of optimism; which works unless you are dying of thirst then it has a different meaning altogether.  If you are really thirsty and the glass is half full it can be a matter of survival.  

The way we look at life can also be a matter of survival. Sadly, it is the nature of humans to dwell upon the negative aspects of life which means it is our life-long lesson to stay optimistic.  Is your cup of life half full? Or is it half empty?

Too many times we look at the measure of liquid in the glass and find it wanting.  Just like our lives, if you can imagine for a moment that it is a container that entered this world with every gift, power and potential to succeed at life.  Is your glass now half full or almost empty?

Our problems get in the way, bills to pay, children to feed and we cannot see our way out of the hole we find ourselves in.  Like the water molecules in the glass that look above and see the potential for fullness; we, humans, cannot see the potential in the energy above the fullness of the liquid.

Most of us look to the liquid (water, coffee, juice etc.) to sustain us. But life is not about the liquid – life is about the potential that you came into the world with, the ability to change a life even if it is only your own! Life is about the powerful energy that always exists in the container.

We are born with full potential for soul success – to succeed at the goal our soul entered the physical world, a plan to make something wonderful, life-altering… happen.  Life is about the potential for things that are above the ordinary, like Paula’s unique style with water color, Jessica’s delightful optimism in the face of adversity, Andy’s ability to cheer and warm the heart of others, patient-Amy who has a witty way of expressing love and joy in daily living, Bobby’s charisma and charm… and Becky’s ability to see goodness in the face of tragedy. Beebe’s ability to catch the meaning of life in a rock, Michael’s cynicism that is delivered with the exact amount of humor at the exact time it is needed, Spencer’s sweet dimply smile and endearing shyness and, so much more from so many of you. 

So much more – the ability to pick yourself up in the face of adversity, dust off your butt and look up at the bottom of a dime (if you ever get that low) and say to the world: “You can get me down but you can’t make me stay here.”  Without thinking you begin to climb out of your hole.

Humans are the container for the vibrant golden light of the soul, a piece of God, one tiny molecule full of so much power that it will blind a human eye.  When we are down, sometimes we may think of  ‘just ending it’, giving up, accepting that we are done, crawling in bed and never wanting to get out – but when we  hear death’s raspy whisper on our neck, like cricket on a warm summer night or  feel death’s icey fingers, something inside wakes up and listens, looking inward.  If you have ever been there you may imagine what it is like for that sad, defeated human when he finds the empty glass but sees it is winking with a golden light from within, like a beacon, calling us to live, calling us to LIFE. 

You don’t have to be defeated to find it.  Instead imagine that you have found it by the pulsing light and small heartbeat; you have found that ‘something’ special within you.  It is something so strong, so powerful, that you begin to climb up out of your duldrums.  You climb up and never looking back…..until you are on the edge again maybe ready to tumble back down…. But, once you have seen the light falling will never be the same.  This time you have choices where before you had no experience, no knowledge of promise and potential – no, this time it is different.  Now you know the glass of life is different - it contains an energetic power that keeps your glass full.  Now you are able to walk away from the edge and keep climbing, walking where no one has walked before, making your own unique path with no bread crumbs to lead you back. 

Because of the gift of this life, the gift of the present, is full of potential; your time is today, 24 hours of blank slate, 24 hours of something happening - take it, pick up the glass – it is never empty.  We can fill it with remorse for what happened yesterday, with distress of failure, with lost love and fortune or we can look at it as a glass ready to be filled with courage, wisdom waiting to be learned, love waiting to happen and a joy that makes our hearts beat like kettle drums.  It is yours, this present called TODAY! 

The potential of greatness is inside you waiting to burst forth. No matter how old we are; each and every day is an opportunity to explore that greatness, to experiment with the gifts that are uniquely ours and the ability to express those gifts in our unique, individual and gifted way.

When we can see clearly what matters in life, we no longer look at the liquid, instead we see the glass, the container; we see it is filled with full power and potential. With our minds we are able to fill that empty space with good thoughts of a better day…. beginning today.

Ask yourself where you are on this present day – are you being weighed down by the past emotional turmoil?  Is your glass empty?  What guides you, moves you forward on this day?  Can you see the bright light at the edge of the container?  It is just there, a little bit further…..

Who needs a fourth cup of coffee anyway?

Love and blessings to you and your Reiki (life force energy) flow in a healing, unblocked river of energy.