ourimage

IN OUR IMAGE

Being in our image is exactly what we do everyday. Our thoughts, deeds, and actions mold us in ways we ourselves may never notice. Everything we say and do is recorded by us and never lost.

We are just like mini-creators in our own world. Just as we were created, we in turn also create in our world. The world we live in we create. Of course, our environment growing up, shaped the foundation to build on. It is up to us if we want to change the immediate world we live in, or create a better one in which we may enjoy life more fully.

Let's look at this scenario- We are walking on the road and a beggar asks us for some money, so they might buy something to eat. We reach into our pockets and give some coins to the beggar so they may buy food to eat. We think of this person's situation, and the thought of loving kindness, and the hope this person has food eat. Also, we may hope we are never in this position of poverty. A friend walking with us might comment, that the individual begging for food may just be spending the money on drugs or drink, and we have been fooled. We should pay no mind to this comment, and just continue in the thought, that we hope we never find ourselves in this begging situation. The person asking for help surely created his own image, knowingly or unknowingly. The way the world sees the beggar is the way in which he/she created his mini-world (image). If the money we gave is spent on drugs, this has nothing to do with us. We gave to help, and how the money was used, we cannot change.

Let's try this one- A friend has a problem and asks us for financial assistance. We respond, "sure, let me help you," and then ask what the money is for, as if we may pass judgment on the purpose of the friend's needed loan. If this is truly our friend, we only need to know we are given the opportunity to help someone we love and care about.

SO, in the above, we have seen the image of others seeking help, and should others observe us, they will also have seen our image. They will know what kind of world we live in and project. We should make it a daily habit to help someone, in someway, if possible. WE never know who is watching or what tests are placed before us.

In some religious books, mention is made that we are created in the creator's image. If this be fact, then we could imagine nine of ourselves, in a straight row, with each of the images fine-tuning and creating the next image, each being more advanced and aware than the previous image. Perhaps there is something to the saying, "bloodline, hereditary and the family unit," making sure that the children are more advanced than the parents- as the bloodline evolves.

We want the best for our children, but in order to do this, we must function at maximum awareness and stability in order to pass on our image, along with the capability for our children to improve on the original mold. As the world turns and evolves, so do we and this is passed on to our future generations.

Many years ago, Jea once noticed a woman sleeping on the streets- behind a coffee shop and sometimes curled up by a dumpster. From a distance she appeared very dirty, elderly, and always had on the same dirty fur coat. One morning, when I was walking into the shop for a cup of coffee, this woman beggar approached me and asked for a cigarette. I immediately was surprised at her beauty and sophistication. Obviously she was well-educated, and a woman of great character, at one time. She was now reduced to living on the streets. Her fur coat, no doubt, was very expensive and probably the only thing she had. Her clothes looked to be excellent in quality, but here she was sleeping on the streets. After checking on what had happened that caused her to give up and live on the street, I heard about her story. I wanted to help her with a little money to buy food and cigarettes but never saw her again. It is strange, that I had seen her many times, but at a distance- and then, when I did meet her and decided to help in the following days, I never saw her again.

Some people do, for whatever reason, walk away from it and live on the streets. Some are born into hard life and must live on the streets, while trying to improve their life so they no longer need to live on the street.

More than 25 years has passed and Jea can still clearly see the face and up-close image of that homeless woman. Jea has traveled frequently for long periods of time, in remote villages and towns, where many homeless people have been - even in Asia, where the homeless adults are beggars, and their children are by the parents side, also begging.

Jea does not take pictures of homeless people as he does not want to show others hardships to the world.

Moving on, we can now see how our image appears to others. If we are to pass on the good qualities we have to our children and grandchildren, we need to be certain our image is acceptable to our bloodline. We must be able to see ourselves, perhaps nine generations from now. If we are to be remembered by loved ones, it should be respectfully and not with disgust.

We should be thankful for the opportunity to help someone truly in distress. It is a good habit to always have some change available should we have the chance to give to a real need - such as a person who needs to eat.

It is far better to live in a world of loving kindness than in a world of distrust and facades. Giving from our hearts molds us, and creates a much happier environment in which to live.

Jea

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