Negativity

I've realized lately how easily we all can be seduced into thinking and speaking negatively. Negativity is seductive, there's a meth-like rush of energy and power in anger, snideness, gossiping, and cruelty (it's sick actually, isn't it?) Sadly my grandmother fell into that trap, and most of her conversation was loaded with tearing down something or someone. Sometimes it was easier to join her and feel a common bond of anger, a closeness in shared negativity. Wow, those seeds take root so easily and I want to tear them out as easily as they come! Yikes, it's so easy to get sucked into that vortex. But when I focus on living a life of gratitude then my heart opens. And when my heart is open, God enters in. I had a craving last night and this morning to read Ephesians and when I read 5:18 I was halted by these words: '...making music to the Lord in your hearts". I need to fill myself with the melody of life, the harmony of love...a heartsong. I'm going to use that word as a prompt whenever my thoughts turn away from ones of Love, from ones that bring life.

Evil talk kills three people: the speaker, the listener, and the one who is spoken of. (Talmud, Erachin 15a) But the same applies in the reverse: speaking favorably of another, accentuating his or her positive side, will aid him to realize himself in the manner that you have defined him.