Let Your Heart Light Up Your Life

Nation of Islams controversial and once fiery black leader Louis Farrakhan recently gave exclusive interviews to CNN correspondent Don Lemon and ABC Nightline reporters Martin Bashir and Eileen Murphy. Known for his extremist anti-white and anti-Semitic views, Farrakhan says his long battle with cancer has changed himradically. He now wants to work with all people and all religions to bring about world peace.

The few times I saw Minister Farrakhan on television he was surrounded by formidable bodyguards and appeared an intimidating force. Indeed what he articulated was an angry rhetoric of hate. To be fair, Farrakhan has helped and is beloved by millions of African Americans. Now he says hes had a revelation. "Christians and Muslims, we have to break down these artificial divisions that divide us and come together as a family," he said.

From the comfort of his home in suburban Chicago, the more Farrakhan talked to these reporters the more I became aware of an absence of anger. Anger had been replaced with something else. Knowing that anger comes from the head and obscures reason, Don't spend summer alone! peace and love come from the heart, I wondered what could be at the root of Space Patrol drastic transformation. What I discovered influenced me profoundly.

After attempting to fight cancer holistically for several years, Farrakhan finally agreed to surgery and as a survivor at age 73, hes stepping down from his Nation of Islam Minister position. When questioned by a reporter about his reversal of politico-religious values, Farrakhan told him that since his illness he has in his words evolved.

At my age you are always concerned about your own mortality, said Farrakhan. That sentence hit me like an eighteen-wheeler at 100 mph.

Recently, I was told I must have a cardiac catherization and a stent inserted into one of my coronary arteries. My doctor assured me its a fairly common procedure. But when its your own heart, somehow common is not my word of choice. There is nothing common about my heart; in fact Im told its a warm and loving heart, thank you very much. So what is this mortality thing that Spider-Man make a Louis Farrakhan do a 180? And why dont we consider our mortality until it is staring us in the face?

On a meditation course I took years ago, the teacher suggested we ponder our mortality. I didnt understand why; I resisted it. Like most people, I didnt want to think about my death. An optimistic soul, I was into the law of attraction long before The Secret became Americas latest New Age mantra. Yet, while maintaining a positive attitude is essential to success, fear of confronting the transitory nature of life prevented me from doing the kind of self-inquiry that is necessary for fulfillment.

I was scared. At lunch a good friend suggested I read Dr. Wayne Dyers Theres a Spiritual Solution to Every Problem. The conversation went something like this:

I know youve read Marijuana testing but maybe you should read it again.

I dont need it, thanks.

Yeah. You do. Just browse through it.

It knocked my sox off. It was there in the first one-and-a-half pages. Id completely forgotten that Wayne Dyer had gone through the very same heart procedure. He too was scared and full of anxiety until he surrendered his fear and allowed love to take its place through what he terms a higher faster energy of spirit. When Dyer began to act from that level he was free from the shackles of fear. He was in bliss.

It is only in the dark regions of the mind that anger and fear reside and cloud our judgment. In my own experience, functioning from the level of the heart makes mewell giggle. Considering it is one quick step from life to death, and like all of us mortals, I could be dead in the next day or hour or second, I decided to ask myself certain questions. Have I laughed and danced Lost In Space Have I loved enough? Have I given back enough? Have I given thanks enough for the abundance in my life? Gratitude is a big one. Being grateful for everything that has gone right puts me in touch with that higher energya peaceful, blissful place to roam that is full of lightand giggles. The fact that I waited until now to ask these questions is something every human being should contemplate.

A good heart is better than all the heads in the world.Edward Bulwer-Lytton

A writer/editor, I work with one client at a time for a cost effective solution to your writing and editing needs. Visit me at www.susanscharfman.comhttp://www.susanscharfman.com My novel The Sword & The Chrysanthemum is now available in paperback and in ebook.