I would have made a poor Sherlock Holmes, especially when it comes to solving the mysterious case regarding the Truth of our Being. In that regard, I behaved more like Inspector Clouseau, of Pink Panther fame. That’s not to say that I was as bumbling in life as the inspector was with his investigations; but I was definitely a prodigal son without knowing it. Unbeknownst to me, some of my actions overtly advertised the need for forgiveness, for “I knew not what I did.” It’s unrealistic, however, to expect us to do better until we know better. I can only plead that it’s always easier in hindsight to know that the butler did it, in the kitchen, with the candlestick (for those readers who’ve ever played Clue).

During the course of our lives, so many random and seemingly unimportant dots and clues manifest. Please trust me; there’s nothing trivial about any of them. The majority of individuals are unaware that we’re being led to the recognition of a much grander picture of ourselves and, indeed, the world. When we function through the perspective of hapless Inspector Clouseau, we interpret persons and objects as they appear to be. Thus, the guy who cuts our meat at the grocery will be viewed simply as Juan, the butcher; the woman who bakes our bread at the local bakery as Vaishni, the baker; and the man who cuts our hair as Wayne, the barber. Although I did not inspect my world on such a superficial level, my body-mind bungled its fair share of cases. The sooner that we begin to look at persons and situations in a deeper—more caring and compassionate—manner, the better off we’ll be.

The only way to live from our authentic nature is to become earnestly curious about What—not who—we really are. Until we find That within ourselves, we’ll be unable to see it in so-called “others.” To discover It, we must become still and turn within. In moments of quiet contemplation, we may ask ourselves if it’s truly possible to “be” a name, or a body-mind that is exchanging millions of cells each and every minute. Surely there is an unchanging dimension within us. As we hone our Sherlock Holmes detective skills, we’ll become more alert to the conceptual false “self” of the mind that pops up and exclaims, “Hey, this life is about me!” It’s not. We are so much more than name and form; and when we knowingly recognize That which cannot be named, our journey through this marvelous experience called human life flows so much more smoothly.

When we live authentically from our heart, the world around us quite literally transforms. Everyone and everything appears fresh and anew. As though by magic, crooked roads straighten; impossibilities become possibilities; and heavy burdens become lighter. Are these words, simply words? No, this is real—a glorious living transformation is possible.

Whether we realize it or not, our nearly eight billion dots termed the “human race” collectively spell out G-O-D in capital letters. Every dot counts—not one is by accident. Every person with whom we interact is a dot of God. Everywhere we turn, there again is God incarnate. There is literally no place that is not stamped with the footprint of our Creator. We are, indeed, temples of the one-and-only Living God. Let’s stop judging by appearances and start living at a deeper level of consciousness. Come on, Sherlock, we can do it!

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If you enjoyed this article (originally published in 2021), you can find more of my writing at my personal blog at https://think2wice.me/. My YouTube videos may be found through this link. May the content of either or both help you along your spiritual journey.