My elder bro and I were chatting (yes, July/August has been busy for me for my brothers - eldest and youngest - and my uncle have stopped by for a visit) and the conversation centred around the Chinese zodiac.
"Rats do not get along with horses, monkeys or dragons," he stated with something akin to surprise. I had to smile at his reaction for he was born into a family with a horse, monkey and dragon and we all muddle along just fine.
Well, Dad was not exactly the easiest of people to live with but it would have been the same no matter what year he was born in. I love the man deeply and I still respect and uphold his beliefs and values but living with him was like living on the edge of a constantly erupting volcano - tumultuous and nerve-wrecking.
I then said to J, it doesn't really matter what zodiac sign we are as long as we have empathy. It's about choice - choosing to love your family even when they drive you crazy.
It's certainly the preeminent way of learning how to cultivate the virtues of kindness, tolerance, forgiveness, acceptance, generosity, flexibility and self-control, and more...the family is indeed the school of humanity.
There is some truth in zodiac signs but I don't put much stock in them for it's all the same with fortune-tellers, astrologers, palmists, etc., what is revealed is partially true and partial truths can be misguiding, especially if we come to believe in them completely and base our decisions on what is represented as truth.
Lest we forget, the devil's currency is half-truths. And as the old saying goes: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
We may be tempted to close our minds and hearts to other truths which may be more valid or liberating, falling victim to tunnel vision, or even worse, divisive prejudice.
Or we could end up limiting ourselves and our aspirations which would be tragic for self-fulfilling prophecies are all lie sans truth.
To give away our power to reason to another person and let this other decide how we should act is how we allow dictators to be born.
Yes, we all need a little visibility in life at times, especially when it comes to big decisions. That's where the only soothsayer worth consulting is God for He alone deals in Truth (and He gives it away for free).
More importantly, He created us out of love and wants to bless us, without any ulterior motive or hidden agenda.
And He has. Not just with goodness, reason and will, but with a thirst for love, beauty and truth.
The question is do we trust His blessings and apply ourselves to make them fully ours? Do we wait on His timing? Or are we impatient and easily swayed by false prophets who dazzle with seductive half-truths?
So even though big bro and I may have very different opinions and life choices, we are unified by love, beginning first with the love of my parents for each other from which flows their love for each of us that cements the love between us siblings.
I don't pretend to comprehend what makes him tick but I do strive to love and accept him for who he is and I would go to bat for him any time, knowing he would do the same for me.
For in life, there are no coincidences and I know we are all in the same family (the entire motley crew) for a reason - to learn how to love each other (differences, warts and all) and help each other get to heaven, and to have fun along the way as we do it.
This is the power and beauty of love. And that's the truth.
"Rats do not get along with horses, monkeys or dragons," he stated with something akin to surprise. I had to smile at his reaction for he was born into a family with a horse, monkey and dragon and we all muddle along just fine.
Well, Dad was not exactly the easiest of people to live with but it would have been the same no matter what year he was born in. I love the man deeply and I still respect and uphold his beliefs and values but living with him was like living on the edge of a constantly erupting volcano - tumultuous and nerve-wrecking.
I then said to J, it doesn't really matter what zodiac sign we are as long as we have empathy. It's about choice - choosing to love your family even when they drive you crazy.
It's certainly the preeminent way of learning how to cultivate the virtues of kindness, tolerance, forgiveness, acceptance, generosity, flexibility and self-control, and more...the family is indeed the school of humanity.
There is some truth in zodiac signs but I don't put much stock in them for it's all the same with fortune-tellers, astrologers, palmists, etc., what is revealed is partially true and partial truths can be misguiding, especially if we come to believe in them completely and base our decisions on what is represented as truth.
Lest we forget, the devil's currency is half-truths. And as the old saying goes: A little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
We may be tempted to close our minds and hearts to other truths which may be more valid or liberating, falling victim to tunnel vision, or even worse, divisive prejudice.
Or we could end up limiting ourselves and our aspirations which would be tragic for self-fulfilling prophecies are all lie sans truth.
We are the lords of our lives in that we have each been given free will and an intellect to figure out which paths we want to take in life.
To give away our power to reason to another person and let this other decide how we should act is how we allow dictators to be born.
Yes, we all need a little visibility in life at times, especially when it comes to big decisions. That's where the only soothsayer worth consulting is God for He alone deals in Truth (and He gives it away for free).
More importantly, He created us out of love and wants to bless us, without any ulterior motive or hidden agenda.
And He has. Not just with goodness, reason and will, but with a thirst for love, beauty and truth.
The question is do we trust His blessings and apply ourselves to make them fully ours? Do we wait on His timing? Or are we impatient and easily swayed by false prophets who dazzle with seductive half-truths?
So even though big bro and I may have very different opinions and life choices, we are unified by love, beginning first with the love of my parents for each other from which flows their love for each of us that cements the love between us siblings.
I don't pretend to comprehend what makes him tick but I do strive to love and accept him for who he is and I would go to bat for him any time, knowing he would do the same for me.
For in life, there are no coincidences and I know we are all in the same family (the entire motley crew) for a reason - to learn how to love each other (differences, warts and all) and help each other get to heaven, and to have fun along the way as we do it.
This is the power and beauty of love. And that's the truth.
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