When we take an honest look at the world today and assess our moral and spiritual growth, we can often be overwhelmed at what we see. On one hand, our technology has advanced significantly over the last few decades and continues to evolve exponentially as we speak. We can now communicate instantly and comfortably with people all over the world through phones and computers. We can travel from continent to continent in a matter of hours. Information on practically anything is now available at our fingertips, and formal education is no longer out of the reach of many of us.
Yet for all the advances in science and technology, children still starve to death; with all the knowledge we have accumulated, people still die of preventable diseases; and with all the philosophies and religions that have developed on the Earth, we still have war and its lesser expressions of madness and violence. For those of us who have grown up in the West (those "First World" countries as they used to be called), we have access to wealth that kings and queens of old could only dream of. We have so much wealth at our fingertips we don't know what to do with it. We live in a society that pushes us to earn more and spend more, to the point that most of our time is dedicated to the buying and selling phenomenon we have come to know as the 'Rat Race'. We buy food to taste, not to eat; clothes to display, not to keep us warm; vehicles to impress, not to transport us and others; and houses big enough to store all the other things we don't really need in our lives. In our over-indulged society the need for stimulation increases each day. We become accustomed to a level of violence, greed and sexual immorality in magazines, music and movies that would shock and shame our ancestors.
All of this has left a vacuum in our souls. We feel empty, confused and dissatisfied and we are not sure where to turn to for the answers. Some of us try different religions and philosophies without much success, hopping from one social club to the other, and from one 'latest idea' to the next. Others stay fixed on one set of ideals, trying to take refuge in tradition and conformity to the norm around them. Yet for all our searching most of us sense that we have not yet found our place. Something is still missing.
However, in the midst of this confusion and insanity, we often hear whispers pointing us towards a way forward. These whispers can be heard in the deepest part of the hearts of each and every person. The whispers tell us the wrongs that we are contributing to, and encourage us when we align ourselves with the solution. Most of us are often annoyed by these whispers, telling them to shut up when they ask us to do something that would compromise our reputation, wealth or physical health. So instead of yielding to the truth of the still small voice within us, we look for ways to hide it, covering it in the darkness of dishonesty where it can be out of sight from ourselves and from others. We then look outwardly for things to fill the void, which is an impossible task and the reason we are never satisfied regardless of how much popularity, fortune or knowledge we may acquire in the process.
If only we were to listen honestly and humble to the whispers of Truth, we would find the real meaning of life and discover the path that leads to joy everlasting. We can live a full, honest and happy life right now, and we can share that life with others and heal the broken world around us. Nobody is excluded from being invited to this party! All we need to do is to accept the invitation and follow the instructions we receive on how to get to the party.
There is much that the softly spoken voice of Truth wants to reveal to us if only we would seek it and submit to its leadings. However, as someone once said, "the truth that sets us free is for the most part the truth that we would rather not hear". What unpalatable truths are we avoiding? How much do we really want the Truth, the whole Truth and nothing but the Truth?
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