The O-town Scene - Oneonta, NY
Issue link: https://www.ifoldsflip.com/i/28770
Keep Up Now! by Terry Ludwig Here’s the kicker _ it is in the “letting go” that allows everything to come to you. Let go of possessions “There are those who, for whatever reason, seem to stagnate in this realm. For them, what they see is all there is. Their life’s measure; material posses- sion. Ironically, even this accumulation has potential spiritual value. The key to unlocking its treasure is in giving it away.” – Rob Ludwig What is sacrifice? Sometimes we confuse sacrifice with love. We tell ourselves if we really love someone, we should be willing to sacrifice for them; this will prove our love for them. In truth, sacrifice merely separates us from love. When we sacrifice something, we feel deprived and harbor resentments. So long as you perceive yourself as a victim of sacrifice, you will feel justified in sacrific- ing and attacking others. I have said before we are not our body. Our body is simply a vehicle we use while we are having this human experience. However, because we perceive ourselves as our body, we feel lonely and deprived and there can be no sacrifice that doesn’t involve the body in some way. Power, fame, money, physi- cal pleasure; these are all things people think of as objects to sacrifice. The mind that associates itself with a body obscures its identity and loses sight of what it really is. You are not your body; you are eternal, you are light, you are Love. You are powerful beyond measure. Let go. Don’t hold on to “things” that keep you seeking for happiness and never find- ing it. You are so much greater than you give yourself credit for. Here’s the kicker _ it is in the “letting go” that allows every- thing to come to you. What is the real meaning of sacrifice? It’s the price you pay to deny the truth about what you are and the cost of believing in illusions. You don’t know what you are asking for, so you seek it in a thousand ways and places, each time believing you have found it and each time you are disappointed in the end. Sacrifice is giving up of what you want. It’s time to re-evaluate who you are and what you truly want. Do you want happiness? Do you want love? Don’t seek for it in places it doesn’t exist. Look inside yourself and rediscover who you are. “Keep up Now! with the stream of higher consciousness and stay connected to the Source.” _Terry Ludwig Terry Ludwig’s brother, Rob, passed away in 2004 after bat- tling AIDS. Before he passed, he shared his message. “Keep Up Now!” is the result of that communication. She can be reached at keepupnow@gmail.com, and followed on Twitter and Facebook. April 7, 2011 O-Town Scene 25 Not looking is the way to find what you want For 40 years I have cherished an ex- clusive love for my wife. You’ve heard it before, but it’s true _ although I still love her, I am no longer “in love” with her. There are neither regrets nor “wasted” years as one friend put it. She feels same. Although I do not have regrets for Guest Column separat- ing from my wife, one of the things I miss is the daily “clutter” of family life. Seeing a friend’s koi pond recently brought to mind bittersweet memories of my home pond. I miss it and the bird songs of early morning. I miss the daily, ordinariness of home. After coming out three years ago and leaving home four months ago, I’m celebrating living as I am and exploring my gayness with gusto. But, the permanency of a loving relationship is missing. Searching for a person just to fill the void is foolish, I know. I tried, though. Mistakes were made: sincerity was mistaken for casual encounters, hormones for tenderness. But, they are all learning experiences. I recalled my advice to my son in years past when he was frustrated by try- ing to find a sincere woman: “Stop searching; your heart will lead you to her. One day you will turn to find she was always with you but you were blinded by your ‘criteria.’” When I left home, my two dogs helped, staving off the stinging bitterness of isolation. After four months on my own, “he” found me. I am no pubescent boy enter- ing a life commitment without thought, meditation and prayer. Nor did I fall in love at first sight. Rather, I was attracted, got to know him and with time, I learned to love him. I took my own advice, and after intellectualizing, I followed my heart. I am a man of faith, in all senses of the word. To paraphrase Scripture, it is not good for anyone to be alone. Truly I believe, it is God who created me as a gay man, and it is his will that I not be alone. He wants us to be happy and to love one another. _ David Martin David Martin is living separately from his wife of 37 years. He is a father of five adopted children and practices as a solo internist physician in central New York. He was educated at Fordham University and Upstate Medical University. He attends All Saints Church in Syracuse, and hosts parish for the LGBT Catholic community. the Diversity Scene April 7-13