I have just come in from the garden where the birds were waiting for their morning seed treat. I love this time of year. The air is filled with the songs of birds and the world comes back to life.
It is a reminder to me that there is always a springtime. Even when I am no longer on this earth, there will be the return of the light, the spread of warmth in the rich deep soil. No matter how tough life is there is always the potential for recovery and no matter how far we stray from the path of light, there is always redemption.
I am not an adherent of any religion but as Easter approaches, I do think of the washing away of sins, not the easy option people think that it is. The road to redemption is a road of the cross. It requires the admission of wrong doing, the facing of the true self and the shedding of all the excuses we protect ourselves with.
It is not about seeking forgiveness from those we have wronged. That is not ours to ask for; it is their's to give. It is about making it right in any way we can, in some way making restitution.
Clients ask me how they can make restitution to those who are dead. Do it by living your life well. Do it by seeking out ways of helping others in similar situations to the person you can no longer reach.
Redemption is not a soft option. It takes courage and hard work. It takes the surrender of the ego and the opening of the heart. It is a frightening road but at the end of it there is a sense of freedom, a liberation from guilt and fear.
Those of you who read this who carry guilt in your hearts, a huge lead weight, constantly pulling you down, draining you of life, know exactly what I mean. Take one step down that road today and that burden will be lighter and the world will be a better place.
