Image by beate bachmann 

The world we live in is in great part the result of the way we look at it. At every single moment, there are hundreds of millions of events taking place around us, be it on the social or political levels, in nature or in the unseen realms of a higher reality. The world we live in is the result of the way we CHOOSE to look at events.

I can pester against the drunkard disturbing everyone in the bus, or I can bless him in his true spiritual identity. I can lament at the third day of rain in a row, or I can rejoice for those who make and sell umbrellas (SMILE!). As a door-to-door salesman, I can complain that six people have turned me back with a scowl or I can rejoice that “ALL things work together for the good of them that love life” as a sage of many centuries ago stated.

I write this as one who, many years ago, practiced journalism and created in French-speaking Africa a quarterly magazine that was lauded for its fundamentally positive approach to all issues, while at the same time remaining sharply realistic. Many people today are depressed by what appears to be going on in the world: the war in Ukraine and Palestine-Israel, massive inflation hitting so many economies, and so, so many other disturbing developments which could cover pages.

But all the good happening in the world could cover volumes:

- hundreds of millions of mothers raising their children with love and wisdom

- tens of millions of nurses worldwide caring for their patients with intelligence, love and foresight

- tens of millions of schoolteachers giving the very best of themselves according to their highest sense of what is appropriate for their audience,

- public transport in dozens of countries that functions to the very best of its abilities and carrying so many of us,

- the police of all countries who represent the most essential and important public profession without which our cities would be in a state of total anarchy after a day or two, as in Montreal in the nineteen twenties when the police went on strike,

- the innumerable forms of public service from the engineers caring for our water, the workers in hospitals and hospices for the elderly…

- and, of course, the fast-growing number of people all over the world who individually or in groups are working to raise world consciousness through meditation, prayer, blessing, unconditional love, and "sacred activism" (to use Andrew Harvey's expression)

There is a strange belief in the field of journalism that bad news sells better than the reverse, and that a newspaper essentially covering good news or bad news with a highly constructive editorial approach would sell very poorly. But such an adventure has simply never been tried, at least to the best of my knowledge.

Proposed activities for the family Christmas (and other get-togethers)

1. Each one above 10 years old makes her or his own list of the good happening in their life and the good they are aware is happening in their town/country/the world (this includes nature).

2. For the younger ones, they can dictate their list of what they are grateful for in their lives.

It might make for quite a lively Christmas holiday!

©2023 by Pierre Pradervand. All Rights Reserved.
Reprinted with permission from the author's blog.

Book by this Author: The Gentle Art of Spiritual Discernment

The Gentle Art of Spiritual Discernment: A Guide to Discovering Your Personal Path
by Pierre Pradervand.

In this guide, Pierre Pradervand offers support for those embarking on an authentic spiritual search. He focuses in depth on helping you answer three fundamental questions: Who am I deep down? What am I really looking for in my spiritual quest? What is the deep motivation of my search? He shows how integrity, generosity, and discernment are essential components of any lasting spiritual path.

Showing how to cultivate your inner voice and intuition to become your own empowered spiritual authority, this guide reveals how to see more clearly, open your spiritual horizons, and move toward your own unique spiritual path.

For more info and/or to order this book, For more info and/or to order this book, click here. xxx Also available as an Audiobook and as a Kindle edition.

More books by this Author

About The Author

Pierre Pradervand is the author of The Gentle Art of Blessing. He has worked, travelled and lived in over 40 countries on five continents, and has been leading workshops and teaching the art of blessing for many years, with remarkable responses and transformational results.

For over 20 years Pierre has been practising blessing and collecting testimonies of blessing as a tool for healing the heart, mind, body and soul.

Visit him at GentleArtOfBlessing.org and PierrePradervand.com