"There is no order of difficulty in miracles. One is not "harder" or "bigger" than another. They are all the same. All expressions of love are maximal."
"Miracles are natural. When they do not occur, something has gone wrong."
"Miracles are everyone's right."
quoting from A Course in Miracles, Text p.3, The Meaning of Miracles
Well then, What Exactly is a Miracle?
I am asked this a lot when people know that I work with the text, A Course in Miracles. Some ask if the Course will teach them how to walk on water, or turn water into wine, maybe even part the sea. Now wouldn't that be cool!
Yesterday I was trail-running in the mountains with Bella, our great red-heeler mix. Its been raining more than usual so there are lots of little gnats in the air that we don't usually have. For some reason, they like to fly around my mouth and often right into my eyeballs when I'm breathing hard and heavy. Gross when they end up in my mouth!
I've tried wearing a hat, then sunglasses, then breathing only through my nose or exhaling heavy to blow them away, many many things to keep these oh so irritating bugs away. Because really, they have the entire forest to fly around, why pick me to harass?
Feeling into my irritation, I wanted it to go away. I wasn't enjoying my run and the amazing wildflowers - so many colors! - also here because of the rains. So, I asked myself - Can I have a new perspective about this? Is there a way I can see this differently? I wanted a way, a "seeing," that freed me from the irritation I was experiencing.
And it came, the new perspective, to this - Their buzzing into my face wasn't about Me. They weren't "harassing" me. I wasn't under some kind of attack from this little creature who more than likely was just zooming about its business in the forest as I came crashing into It. Maybe, I'm the irritating one - Ha! Imagine that!
Continuing with my run, I "seemed" to notice fewer gnats flying into my face. When one was near an eyeball or my mouth, instead of angrily swatting it away, I felt more gentle, just closed my eye or mouth, and lightly waved It away.
So, what's the miracle, the Course in Miracles "miracle?"
My shift in perception and how it moved me from feeling irritation to feeling peaceful and gentle. Because truly that's all I want or ever have any control of - my feelings, my responses - to all the life buzzing, flying, and crashing around me everyday in oh so many ways.
Enjoy your day. Enjoy the miracles waiting for YOU!