Life is sometimes a bumpy ride, full of ups and downs. This can cause a less than enjoyable experience. Yet at one point we all realize that life has a beginning and an end, and it is precious, it can end at any time.

Last week I had a bad thing happen to me that caused a lot of anxiety and stress. I could not stop thinking about the situation and what I did to cause it. I wanted to find someone else to blame but the responsibility kept coming back to me.

I knew from experience that my misery would pass with time, but I also knew that if I kept focusing on what I did my suffering would be prolonged. I also realized that time heals everything if you let it and I knew I had to let go of the negative thoughts that were causing me to spiral down.

I remembered a talk by Prem Rawat who reminded me of the reality that I am alive and the reason I am experiencing everything I do, both the good and the bad is because I am alive. Life is a gift and yet is so fragile.

I realized that wasting my time torturing myself was useless and that life is really the only reality and the fact that I can feel and experience is the real miracle.

I remembered that inside of my is my true home, a refuge where I can go to heal and be. This place has always been there. It is who we are, our true being. It is also the source of peace and contentment. What I need and what we all need is to remind ourselves of this and have an anchor to bring us back to the feeling, that place.

An anchor is a way to secure us when our ship drifts, often without us realizing. It’s easy to let things outside of us spark our ups and downs. But the up experiences or elations at one point become downs if we make ourselves dependant on what is occurring in our lives. Everything can seem fine and then we get into a spat with a spouse or close friend and things can spiral downwards.

We all have a quiet place of joy and contentment inside of us. That is at the core of who we are. But as we grow up, we are conditioned to focus on everything else and forget that the place inside is our true being. All we need to do is reconnect with it.

Sitting quietly in a chair and letting go of thoughts and just feeling your breath is a simple way to get connected with your inner self. Some use various forms of meditation to do this. I have a practice I do every morning whenever I can. I learned this practice from Prem Rawat many years ago and ever since it has been the anchor in my life to get back home. To make the journey and experience of life a smooth and wonderful journey takes a recognition of the simple reality of being alive and remembering that no matter what you are experiencing is only possible because you have the gift of life.