Devotion

The concept of honoring all paths comes easy for some, but difficult for others. My wife named her dog Sherlock, and he loves to play fetch. Throw practically anything and he will retrieve it. Problem is, he is so proud of himself that he won't let go of his prize. We can coax him to let it go, wait for him to get bored and drop it on his own, or pry it from his mouth, He doesn't understand that in order to play his beloved game, he has to let go of his previous behavior.

Spiritual growth often comes after letting go of our treasures. It doesn't mean our joy will be taken from us. On the contrary, it will be multiplied. Or, we may discover that what seemed to be our joy was not actually in keeping with our best interests. We see this with parents and children. Sometimes parents know that certain things aren’t in the best interest of their child. When possible, they try to replace something that is potentially harmful with something they know will be safe and will bring happiness, yet the child might cry and complain. As time goes on the child will come to trust the parent and understand that Love protects and provides what is ultimately in its own best interests.