Accept and Embrace the Love

Accept and Embrace the Love

©Allen Merritt (2016)

I don’t know about anyone else, but this has been quite an interesting week, especially career-wise. I landed a small speaking part in pilot sitcom and filmed it on Monday. Monday into Tuesday I had the privilege of spending time with and visiting a blast from the past old friend I had not seen in over 20 years. Wednesday and Thursday I casually worked on the next phase of a creative project I have been working on and also got a call to take on another speaking part in a small scene in an independent feature film working on Friday, which almost didn’t happen, because the lead character got food poisoning. While traveling to the site I got a text message telling me the shoot was canceled for just that reason. I responded on how I was almost there and within a few minutes got another text that the lead was going to push through it and the shoot moved forward as planned. Whew! I recognized how things work themselves out when they need to. I mean, after all I was already there. But I was ready to accept and embrace that I had traveled there for no reason if I needed to. I was ready to make the most of nothing. In any case, it all worked out well. I guess, going with the flow, being open to possibility, accepting and embracing the moment for what it is can result in great benefits as often as not.

Following the end of the film shoot, I had time on my hands and decided to take advantage of the occasion and enjoy some of the day by walking around downtown Los Angeles near Olivera Street. I discovered two churches that are usually closed were open. Since I love going into churches of all types I decided to wander inside and look around and read up on their history. There is a certain opportunity that entering a church generally always provides. That is, to experience a sense of calm and peace. You can just relax and be. At the second church, I took a few moments to sit there and simply experience it.

Shortly thereafter, I checked my voice mail and found a request to appear in a short film. I was struck on how the indie film and this short film both called me out of the blue and invited me to participate. This does not happen every day. I felt blessed to be referred and/or simply offered such opportunities without interview or audition. And, I accepted and embraced them for whatever the outcome would become.

The reason I chose to share these moments today is because I wanted to contemplate and reflect on how life offers us things when we least expect them while simultaneously leaving us to wonder why it is happening. By going with the flow, I took a chance and put myself out there for these events in hopes of being creative, creating more opportunity, building future working relationships and achieving results. More importantly, I found myself thinking on what it means to love unconditionally as well as accept unconditional love.

The story continues as I sat in Union Station. I noticed an upright piano located in the waiting area with a sign that read, “Show us what you got!” For the entire time I sat there someone was always playing that piano. I loved it. One lady played music similar to that of George Winston, which took me back in time when I was on tour and we played that music while traveling in a van from one city to another. It was relaxing and for me, stirred images in my soul that were pleasing. Beautiful music can do that for us. It is often therapeutic and healing.

In a nutshell, I guess I was enlightened to this idea of how human beings are always learning to love, accept and embrace love as it comes our way. I found myself thinking how this could quite possibly be one meaning to unconditional love; that our mere existence is to learn how to love wholeheartedly, unconditionally and unabashedly – for ourselves and others. Maybe we are to learn to accept and embrace the love of God, the Universe or the powers that be simply for what it is (and as it is) without exception or specific expectation; to live in the calm and stillness; to be happy with just that. For anything beyond that is a bonus.

Today is Sunday and this week of experiences is almost over and a new week awaits to present itself to us, so in closing this week’s positivity blog I want to end with the image I saw in a movie last night. 

According to the film, a custom in Saudi Arabia when someone comes to you asking for help (i.e. money) to raise your index finger and point it heavenward. The main character asked what this meant and the explanation was how pointing toward the heavens made the statement on how God will provide. It also closed any further conversation.

On that positive note, go out and have a great week. end of story!

Cheers.