Last night, I was browsing through a used CD and DVD store and came across an unusual DVD called Earthlight. The DVD features NASA film clips of the planet earth taken during various shuttle missions. The clips are enhanced with ambient music, perfect for meditation or just relaxing.

I took the DVD home and was absolutely amazed.

Watching the earth slowly spinning, I became mesmerized by the swirling cloud formations, all the resplendent shades of blue, and how the sun's reflection sparkled in the ocean waters. Seen from space, our home world is a gleaming jewel—wondrous and beautiful!

How awesome to think that we, as humans, are just as wonderful and just as beautiful. Each one of us is an equally unique and special creation. If only we could keep a similar sense of awe for ourselves and each other! If only all our relationships could be filled with love, respect, and encouragement.

So how come we don't dedicate ourselves to more love, kindness, compassion, trust, honesty, patience, forgiveness, tenderness, and focused attention on those we hold dearest? Perhaps we have. Perhaps we have been too giving, too understanding, and too loving - and been rejected, taken advantage of, or worst of all, taken for granted.

Just because relationships are risky, we don't have to stop extending ourselves or our love to the people around us. We still have the choice to treat others as we wish to be treated. The good stuff we spread around will eventually come back to us—a law of the universe as certain as gravity.

Our world doesn't need to be changed. It's perfect just the way it is. It's designed to test us, to prove us, and to question us. How we choose to live our lives and extend genuine love and acceptance is The Answer. We change the world by changing ourselves and changing our attitudes. That is our privilege and responsibility and joy as recovering co-dependents.

Thank You, God for creating this beautiful world and placing me in it. Thank You for the adversities and opportunities that arise in this life. Thank You for the choices You have given me to choose my answer to Life and to those with whom I interact. Amen.

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