Dare to Be Grand

“To belittle is to be little.” — Anonymous

Last time, I gave you a little inside information about Louise Hay and how she reads a passage from Alan Cohen’s book each morning. So, guess what I found on my desk today? One of my favorite coworkers and copywriter extraordinaire knows how my inquiring mind works. And there it was…a copy of A Deep Breath of Life.

Serendipity! I closed my eyes and let the Universe choose a page for me. “Dare to Be Grand” the headline beckoned. And so I read.

Alan talked about running into an old buddy of his. They used to play in a band together. The friend then shared this moving story about his time spent in South America:

“I went to visit a friend, and one evening a neighbor came for dinner. She told me that she had a headache, and I asked her if she wanted me to pray for her. After I did, she felt better. That night she came back with her daughter, who was suffering from menstrual pain. I offered the girl a prayer, and she experienced relief. The next night all of this woman’s relatives showed up at the door! She had told them I was a healer. Hoping I could be of service, I prayed for them. The next day half the town was lined up for healing. After I came home, I received a call from a town representative who told me that the people would pay my airfare back if I returned. So I did, and now I go back regularly; they fly me from town to town in a helicopter, and the prayers have had wonderful results.”

When Alan heard this amazing account, he had a little problem wrapping his head around it. “Last year a bass player, this year a saint?” Do you ever notice how you love hearing these stories; but when it’s someone close to you and it’s about something that you could be experiencing, you get a little irked. I remember wanting a cherry red Mustang for my first car, but couldn’t afford it. My heart dropped when my best friend bought one and proudly showed it off to me. I wanted to be happy for her, but I wasn’t feeling it. I was even mad at myself for not being more enthusiastic for her.

Alan reminded me that we always have a choice on how to respond, and he took the high road. “It felt a lot better to be excited about his success than to try to keep him small,” he admits. “I decided it would be a lot more fun if we were both—and all—great.”

Something I Didn’t Know…

Remember all those Chicken Soup for the Soul books? Alan Cohen has contributed his wisdom to several editions.

Best Line I Read Last Night:

“Being one…is loving all.” — Tim Freke