Choosing Where We Dwell

I want to share something from a woman I've never met--Joy Harjo*. I got this from a friend and it is so wonderful I want to share it.

"In my mind are many dwellings. Each of the dwellings we create ourselves - the house of anger, the house of despair, the house of self pity, the house of indifference, the house of negative, the house of positive, the house of hope, the house of joy, the house of peace, the house of enthusiasm, the house of cooperation, the house of giving. Each of theses houses we visit each day. We can stay in any house for as long as we want. We can leave these mental houses any time we wish. We create the dwelling, we stay in the dwelling, we leave the dwelling whenever we wish. We can create new rooms, new houses. Whenever we enter these dwellings, this becomes our world until we leave for another. What world will we live in today?"

This really got me thinking. Interesting that we speak of "dwelling on something" as well as being in and living in a dwelling. Let us choose to be in the mental houses of joy, positivity and promise. When we find ourselves dwelling on negativity or anger, let us quickly realize that we do have the power to quit that place and move into a positive space. Thank you Joy.

*Source: www.whitebison.org, Elder's Meditation of the Day, Sept. 18