Finding-Ourselves - inspirational writings, thoughts, poems, and quotes by Greg Campisi

Remember the Love    /   Worth It   /  Gift of Time   /   Truth Be Told /   Steps of Love
   True Freedom   /   Finding Your Faith   /   Picture of Peace   /   Freedom Fighters /   Earth Eviction
newest writing   /   Writing '09   /   Writing '08   /   Writing '07 and before

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12/07
Remember the Love

Our memories create our lives. They are all we have left of our past, but memories are more then just flashes of a life passing by. They are the road map between where we have been, and how we got to where we are now. There are so many memories we have, good and bad, that effect us every day. We have so many extraordinary memories to be thankful for, and we smile, laugh, even cry as we think back and relive those times. Some memories may have been lost in the recesses of our minds, but so many memories are always right in front us, distracting ourselves from our daily routine… but what plagues our mind and distracts us most? How often do we find ourselves mulling over unforgiving thoughts, visions, and memories of frustrating and hurtful things?

Sometimes the smallest disagreement can become the most predominant thought in your head, and the more painful a memory is, the longer it consumes our mind. If we look at people from our past like old friends and flames that are no longer in our lives, if it ended badly, this becomes the focus of the thoughts that flood our mind and drown out the loving memories we shared with that person. We seem to have a tendency to allow the pain to define our memories and thoughts, rather then our joy. We often allow our heartaches to overwhelm us, allow our sadness and grief to overcome us, and allow our losses, failures, and fears to take control. They consume our present thoughts and actions, and affect our future as well. It is these types of memories that hold us back from peace and happiness. We've all had relationships that didn't work. It is the hurt that scars us, taints us, and puts fear into our hearts of seeing it happen again… yet it is still nothing more then a memory. It is our choice to hold on to that memory, that pain, and that experience. Only we can chose to let it guide our lives down a darker path, or we can forgive and let it go. Allow the good memories we have of someone to guide us moving forward; the pain will only hold us back.

We are made of our past, and those memories have the ability to empower us, or cripple us... and it's always our choice. In our lives, in every memory, and in every current and future event and relationship, it is important to see past the flaws, the sarcasm, judgment, pain and heartache, and see the good in all people and every situation. If we are still holding a grudge or holding onto any pain, next time it comes up, remember what brought that person into your life in the first place, and what kept them there. If we could move forward each day with those little moments of joy and love in our minds and hearts, our lives would be very different. We don’t realize how often a painful memory affects not just us, but it affects everyone we come in contact with. If we walk around with hurt in our heart, we not only drive ourselves crazy with the what if’s and the I should have’s, but we also project that out to the world around us. Holding on to pain not only poisons us, but it poison’s everything in our lives.

I look back at the “bad” events in my life, and choose a new past to remember. Whether it’s an old painful memory resurfacing, or something fresh in the mind, take a conscious moment to focus on something better. Even if it was only a small instant, if it is a memory of that person that can put a smile on your face, hold that in your mind and your heart, and allow the others to fade away.

Read the expanded article

10/07
Worth it

We are all different. We are all at different points in our lives on different paths. Some of us are wealthy, some poor, some very successful, some overworked and underpaid, and even some are happy with a mediocre job, because money is not always most important in life. Some of us are popular and well liked, some are alone drowning in self pity. Some seem like saints, and then some of us are jerks and obnoxious. Some of us don't think we're good enough, and some think we're too good. Some of us think we don't deserve anything we have, and some think they deserve everything and then some. There are many problems that come along with thinking you are too good, better and more deserving then anyone else, but I feel it's a much bigger problem for anyone who is on the opposite end of the spectrum.

So many of us all to often feel sad, down, lonely, and depressed for so many reasons. It couls just be a bad day. It could be a broken heart. It could be a tragedy. Or many times, it's simply the small things no one else sees. It little things like beeing tken for granted and being under-appreciated. This sort of self-abuse slowly chops us down. it wears at our minds and our hearts. We look at others. We look at our friends and families, and so often we see what they have, that we are missing. But we overlook much of what we have that others are missing. In fact, those same friends you envy probably look at your good traits and wish to be more like you. There are too many people running around thinking they are not good enough. That they are not worthy of a better life. They think somehow they are less then everyone else. They are not pretty enough, smart enough, determined enough, or in any way good enough to walk out the door with a smile having the courage and faith that life can be as good as they imagine it to be. They actually accept that they not only deserve less, but that they somehow are less.

We all deserve everything this world has to offer. We are all worth it. Everybody has a choice. We can chose to accept that we can't do any better, or we can chose to leave it behind and go in search of a better life. It doesn't matter who your family is. It doesn't matter who your father is, or what your sister does. It doesn't matter if your parents are divorced or if they are famous, and it doesn't matter what type of education you have. As children of God, we have every right to have everything our hearts desire. We are good enough. We all have the power to go the extra mile, and reach for the life we only dreamt of until now.

God made it all fair for all of us. He set the rules so that we are in control of our own lives. It's called free will. Anyone can tell you that you are not enough, but only one person makes it true. Yourself. Anyone who doesn't think they are good enough, isn't. We put ourselves in that hole. it is our choice because anything anyone says is just an opinion. It is some other perspective. And even if there is a hint of truth, it is up to us to see it, and to change our lives and better ourselves, and no one has the power to stop us from doing that. Anyone with enough faith, hope and will power can move mountains and achieve the impossible. It's been done by plenty, and many of them probably started out with much less then what we have. People who were homeless living in their cars, picking through trash, are now some of the wealthiest people and biggest celebrities we know. Try to tell them that anyone "less fortunate" can't make it in this world. Try to tell them you can only make it big if you already have your foot in the door. It's not about who you were, it's about who you want to be.

We have to see ourselves for more then we are, and become it. We can't let our past define our future. If your past somehow makes you unworthy in your own eyes, leave it behind, and redefine yourself. Rise up from the ashes and create a new life. You have free will. You have the choice and the power to change the world. We can all be the phoenix, rising up to a new life and a new world, lead by a heart of fire, leaving the old life behind. Become the dream. We are all the children of God, every one of us, created equal. We all deserve peace, abundance, and eternal joy. We are all worth it. We always have been, and we always will be in God's eyes. We just have to see it in our own eyes.

9/07
The Gift of Time

There are so many people trying so hard to do so much to fix all that is wrong with the world, their relationships, their families, and themselves, but are they really doing it in between their busy lives? There is only thing in the end, that can allow all this - it is time. Nothing is more precious then the gift of time, because everything takes time. We need time to communicate. We need time to think. We need time to understand. We need time to reflect. We need time to heal. And we need time to forgive. No matter what our past has done to us or anyone else, with the right steps, in the right time, it can be transformed.

We are all so busy. We are all caught up in our lives. Working so hard. Trying too hard to be perfect. To be the perfect employee, the perfect friend, or the perfect spouse. We are so busy trying to be the American Dream working our lives away, that life itself escapes us. It slips away. Stop. Take the time. Take time for yourself. Take time for the people you care about. Our time is limited, so we must learn to make time for what’s most important to us. We need to take the time to re-evaluate what life is really about. Re-evaluate all of our relationships. Re-evaluate our own lives. Re-evaluate our values and priorities. Will we look back on our lives and wish we spent more time at work?

It's time that allows us to go out and have fun. Time allows us to build meaningful relationships. Time alone with someone is where the magic really happens. It's time to ourselves that will allow us to reach further inside for strength and love, and allow us to become so much more. No one knows what tomorrow will bring, but we all know where and who we were yesterday. Taking the time today to see our lives in a new light will change ourselves and our world.

Give yourself the greatest gift in the world. A life changing gift. Give yourself time. Time to learn, understand, and grow. Time to heal and forgive. Time to believe and to have faith. In the end, you'll thank yourself.

4/07
Truth be Told

The key to finally having peace in our lifetime is truth. There's only one way to have real happiness and joy in our life, to feel connected and no longer alone or misunderstood. It’s through honesty.

Many of us hold back the truth and our real feelings. Unfortunately, a lot of people just outright lie, for all reasons. I find that time and time again the truth prevails. The difference is, the longer it's hidden, the more it hurts.

Whatever you lie about, you are probably lying about out of fear. You are afraid of the consequences of the truth. Afraid of their reaction. You may feel guilty about your actions, and you are afraid you will not be forgiven. You’re worried they won't understand and you will be judged. But you have to at least give them the chance to understand. Take responsibility for your actions, and be sure to try and explain why you did what you did. Holding it in and holding onto it just eats away at your heart and soul. You become a slave to yourself, a slave to your lie.

If you take your time, be completely open and honest, speak your mind and your heart... even if the person you are dealing with cannot do the same, they will respect you for doing so. Just make sure you speak out of compassion from your perspective, and not speak out of anger and defense. Speak from your heart, say what is on your mind and what you are feeling, and do it the best that you can. If you let your truth shine, you can walk away happy knowing you did your part.

You cannot be understood if you are not open. People cannot see your perspective if you only paint half the picture.

It can all be avoided. Imagine your life without stress and frustration, without arguments. Without going to bed upset or angry. No more guilt. No more regret. We don't need to hold on to the pain. You can free yourself from the hurt and from the loneliness. It just takes truth and understanding. Let the Truth be told.

Read the expanded article

4/07
The Steps of Love
Seeing Your Crystal Staircase

There are so many points in our life where we run into a bad situation with a stranger, a friend, or a family member who may not be acting like themselves, may be acting out, acting crazy literally or figuratively, maybe they are angry or depressed... whatever the situation, before you judge, before you react or overreact and dig a bigger hole, look for the steps, and rise above...

Awareness
It all starts with awareness. We have to recognize something is not right. We need to see there is an issue, a problem, a conflict. How do you know? How do you not? Unless you are both filled with happiness and content for the situation you are in, there is something to be confronted. Look toward your own Feelings. Do you Feel something is not right? Are you frustrated, irritated, sad, angry? Our soul has a built in meter. It's called feelings. They immediately tell us something is not right. And you can see the same feelings in another.

Feeling and Empathy
In order to have true Compassion for someone, you need to Understand them, and to Understand, you need to know what they are feeling. You need to empathize with them. If you are aware they are feeling unhappy or uneasy, it is important to see why. You may be able to somewhat understand the situation, but unless you have literally been there before and felt it all first hand, it is important to try and tune into the persons feelings and Empathize with what they are currently feeling.

Understanding
In order to have Compassion for someone, you need to Understand where they are coming from. If you are Aware there is an issue at hand, and if you know what the other person is Feeling and can Empathize with them, it is becomes easy to understand why they feel this way, and why they did what they did. If you can empathize with the person, it is much easier to Understand how they reached this point, why they did, and why they are currently making the decisions they are making... "wrong" or right. You can Understand why they may be acting strange, even angry, just not being themselves, or not acting the way society would deem normal and acceptable. Once you Understand how they got there, the next step is easy.

Compassion
Once you Understand how someone Feels the way they do, and why they may take the actions they take, you will have Compassion for them. You need to Empathize with them, Understand what they are going through, and what it's like to be in their shoes. Once you can be empathetic then you'll be able to be compassionate toward them. There are many, many reasons, circumstances, and instances that led them to where they are. It could be as simple as a bad day... but it could be they lost a love, have been heartbroken, were beaten, abused, or taken advantage of by a anyone, even someone they were close to, loved and trusted. So many people in life become the culmination of where and who we have been... they may have simply become a product of their environment and upbringing. And it can change. Compassion surges from Understanding the current situation, the actions, decisions, and Feeling the other person now faces.

Acceptance
After having Compassion for the situation, and Understanding how it came to this point, and knowing what the person is Feeling, it becomes much easier to Accept the situation. The actions and thoughts of an individual may seem erratic, irrational, misplaced, "wrong" or "evil" if it is not understood where they are coming from. If you know where they have been, Understand what led to the event, know Compassion for the individual, through the actual Feeling they are experiencing, you can Accept the situation, and can empathize completely with the individual.

Forgiveness
After Accepting the situation, being Compassion for the person for reaching this point, and Understanding why you are facing this situation, it is easy and natural to Forgive them for their thoughts and actions. After all, they are only human, and doing what they feel is right based on what led them to the current point. It may not seem to make sense, and may even be viewed as "wrong" by so many others, but if you see the entirety of the situation and the history leading up to it, if it is Understood and Accepted, and you Feel for them... in your heart, any words or actions against you can be Forgiven.

Love
Any action that is Accepted, and Forgiven is then done so out of Love. Love does not have to be something you look for. Does not have to be something you chose to give or not give. Compassion, Understanding, Acceptance, and Forgiveness cannot all be reached if Love was not already there. They are all actions that come from Love. If all have been achieved... Love is already present. You do not need to look for it. There are no other steps to reach it. It is already there and has been all along.

4/07
True Freedom

Freedom is not a place. It is not a matter of where you live, or who you live with that makes you a free being. It is not living in Democracy. It is not electing a government. True freedom comes from your soul. It comes from letting go.

You can walk down a street as an American citizen. You can have all the material possessions you want, all the power you want, and all the control you want. Yet you will not be free. True freedom is not about having anything and everything you want. No. It is about letting go of all that. It is releasing the confinements of a material world… a world that is about control. It is letting go of everything, including the people and things you care and desire above all else. As long as you have a need for something, for anything or anyone... you are under its control. Even if neither of you know it. As long as you do not allow anything to confine and restrict your actions and thoughts, you can find true freedom in your heart. As long as you have a need for something, it controls you and you cannot truly be free.

Fighting for something may only push it farther from you, no matter how good your intentions are. Nothing in this world truly belongs to any other human being other then their own soul, their free will. That is what God gave us control of... our own decisions and lives. No more, no less. How can you fight for something that is not intended for you? How can you claim a person, place, or thing that is not really yours? Learn to let go. Learn to set free, and you will come to know the true meaning of freedom. The more you love something, the happier you are to allow it to also be free. True love allows all things to live free. Freedom respects and loves freedom.

It is just one of the great ironies of the universe... if you want something, set it free. Know that it was never yours, and it will come to you. Force something to you, and you only push it away. That is the nature of the universe. Push and pull. Equal, yet opposite. Balance in all things. Give and receive. Set it free, and it will always be yours. Set yourself free and you will live in Peace and Joy... Truth in Truth… Freedom in Freedom.

4/07
Finding Your Faith

We spend months looking for the right house. It is the place we will call home and live and raise our families. Sometimes that home is only for the next 5 years, sometimes the rest of our life. Regardless, we put in months looking for the right house, the right locations, and the right school district for our children. Then we spend more time and money making the inside our own. It seems the more money we are spending, the more time and effort it's worth putting into it.

What price have we put on our souls? Why are we not shopping for our own home for our own soul? Why do our parents insist we grow up and start our own lives, and our own families in our own homes, but do not believe this is true for the home of our faith? Is it not important enough that we should get to chose our own?

When the time comes to look for a college, to decide on a place where we will take the final steps in preparing ourselves for our careers and our new lives as adults, there is so much preparation that goes into the search. We take tests. We visit several different colleges and universities. We talk to people that teach there and attend there. We may spend a day there, or even a weekend before we make this important life decision.

Why are we not given a choice when it comes to learning about our soul? About God? Shouldn't being educated on the topic of God be just as important, if not more important? Shouldn’t we have a bigger say in where we go to learn our faith?

We are all different, all need different things, and all need to find our own way. Finding our way to God is not something that should be forced upon us nor something we should be judged on. If we are all trying to get to God, why does it matter so much how we get there?

For all parents – allow your children to find their own path to, their own home for and their own love of – God. It does not mean your way is wrong, it just means it is not the only way.

Is it more important to follow in our parents' shadows, or to follow our own hearts and make our own decisions? It is time to step out into the sunlight on our own and became caretakers of the most precious thing we own... our soul.

Read the expanded article

4/07
A Picture of Peace

When I want to create something, whether it's writing something, or painting something... it starts with an idea and a picture in my mind. Before I begin creating it, I envision it. And that is how all of life works. Envision what you want to create, anything you want, and begin creating it.

One of the pictures I envision is a picture of a world at peace… a world in which every human being has found joy and happiness all around themselves and with each other. We have made it back to the Garden of Eden and found the Kingdom of Heaven, and we know that God had placed it inside of us. We know that we are creators of our lives and our world around us. We have discovered the gifts God bestowed upon his children, and we have finally lived up to our potential. We have the power to bring into our lives anything we want, and to clear our lives of anything we don't. I see a world where senseless acts of violence and death no longer exist. Where every human life is free from judgment and our lives are surrounded by understanding, tolerance, and unconditional love.

What is it that you want for your life, for humanity, and for this world? I envision a world of peace, harmony, and happiness... and I have a feeling God sees it, too.

10/06
Freedom Fighters

Freedom fighters exist all over the world trying to overthrow oppression, socialism, and communism. The war on terror rages on. Freedom of speech and democracy wish to spread to every corner of the Earth so that humanity can live free or die, but is there more death then freedom? Hundreds, thousands, hundreds of thousands die fighting and trying to be free. But no matter how much “freedom” you or your nation has, are you still really free?

We are starving. Starving our life energy and depriving our souls of the one thing it needs most. The human race has been fighting the wrong war. The war for freedom is not the duty of any country, any religion, or any race. The fight for freedom must come from within us. Humanity needs to be freed, but it is not the freedom of physical bonds that we must now strive for and it is not the body that is the slave – it is the heart, mind and soul.

It is time to live life as it was intended, as the creators of our own lives. Not live the life our forefathers built, but expand upon it and rise above it. We are grateful for the courage and sacrifices they made. They helped prepare the world, by fighting one fight at a time for freedom. But was it enough? Has it gotten us where we should to be? Is the human race truly happy in this technological revolutionized world? Is anybody truly, deeply happy in this world, or are we still confined by all the rules placed upon us? Are we all still afraid to truly express ourselves? Are we free from criticism and from judgment? Until we are, we cannot truly live in “the land of the free.”

We need to finally become the home of the brave. Where Truth shines in every corner of our hearts, and we are not afraid to be and express everything we are and everything we dream to be. We will create a world we are no longer afraid to live in because we will have finally made peace with ourselves. We will have set our hearts free.

Read the expanded article

10/05
Earth Eviction

Why is it that almost every ancient civilization lived in peace and harmony with the Earth and their surroundings? Why is it they all believed in spirits and magic, and we no longer do? Why does every other mammal live in peace with the Earth, and yet we abuse her, pollute her, destroy her, and rape her. We are slowly destroying our environment, our planet, and ourselves. Do we not care of the consequences? Humanity constantly destroys life for the betterment of its own.

We live in her shelter; she does not live in ours. She is our home, yet we are just the current houseguests. She was here long before we were, and she will be here long after.

Would we move into an apartment, ruin it, leave holes in it, let dirt, scum, and disease overtake it? Perhaps we would. But there would be consequences. We would not in any good sense expect to get a deposit back, or expect the landlord to rent us another room. I am sure there are people who do treat an apartment with such carelessness, thinking that it is not really their home, that they will find another place to go, but they would have to realize they would not be welcome back. Maybe we would go live with some friends. What if we trample their home, eat all their food, have a party and allow other friends to come in and tear it apart, and just move on to the next party without cleaning up… do you think we would be allowed to stay? No. If we want to live under someone's roof, we need to learn to live in harmony with his or her rules, and not take advantage of that person. Do we think with such disregard to someone's home, we would be allowed to remain?

We are wearing out our welcome, and it's beginning to show. Tsunamis, hurricanes, and earthquakes are becoming more frequent and more threatening than ever before. Mother Earth is evicting its malicious tenants. If we do not stop damaging her, if we do not repair her, we will no longer be welcome. How long do you think our host will allow us to stay? There's nowhere else to go, and we will not be allowed to come back.

We have no other apartment to live in. No one else will take us in. There is one Earth… one planet, one home, one chance. Only one. What happens when the landlord finds out how we have treated the apartment? We will get evicted and charged for damages. Now, if we clean it, fix it, make it as good as new, and promise to keep it that way... we may be welcome, and we may be allowed to stay, assuming the damages are repaired first! Be good to your home. Be good to your planet and your planet will be good to you.