trust. believe. surrender. receive

my dad says this to me all the time, "Trust. Believe. Surrender. Receive." That mantra, incantation or prayer has been said in many different ways by many people over the years.

I have always had a hard time with trust. The word should be emblazoned on my forehead as a forewarning to others I meet on the path. I might appear aloof, disconnected or distant. What is really going on is that I am feeling out my of comfort zone, my threshold of trust. I am learning to take bold leaps of faith. No more baby steps. I want to be daring and willing, bold and bodacious. THAT kind of living requires trust. In myself, in others, in a divine essence that is really guiding this ship anyway!

I have begged and bartered, hoped for and felt helpless. What I have come to know is that unless I truly believe, my words, actions or insights are only ideas awaiting illumination, no matter how much I trust. They are intentions awaiting a commitment to action. Our belief is our action.

And then, we must let go. This is probably the most difficult part. Letting go of the expected outcome. Can we let go of our expectations of how the results or outcome might look? Can we let go of "our timing"? Can we tune in and surrender to that wise wisdom around us that really makes it all go 'round? This is the surrender. If you have experienced its beauty, you know how good it can feel.

And then, we receive. It may not be what we had hoped for, expected or wanted, but it will be exactly what we need.
As my dad says, "the answer is never "no". It is either maybe, not now or something better." Now, that is something I can trust.




copyright 2009 Alisa Barry