CREATING MY WORLD is an adventure.

Last week while running errands in town, I took a coffee break. A bookstore I just passed offered a reading corner serving refreshments. This is perfect, it fulfills my desire, I thought and I entered.

The back of the store shaped like a cathedral, exuded a deafening silence regardless of the crowd. Each customer found his favorite book and was engrossed in the mastermind of the author. I sniffled around through the many rows of books.

Loaded with a heap of interesting books, I sat down in the café ready to be served. The deep quietness of the room encouraged introspection. I found it relaxing on this busy day.

All of a sudden a baby’s screaming voice disfigured this insightful silence. I lifted my head to see where the little mouth-pierce was. To my astonishment, nobody in the room batted an eye or felt distressed by the yelling. It was as if I were the only one hearing it since everyone remained absorbed in their reading.

Quietly and casually I spoke my word for silence. Then a young lady stopped by the pram gently addressing the youngster. Her tight fitting black pants contrasted with her red blouse all complimenting her slender frame. She knelt down so her long dark blond hair loosely danced over the child’s face. In a soft gentle voice she blessed the baby with positive statements. Her love spread warmth over the room. She said: You are a beautiful baby. You are gentle, happy and quiet, a love, a genius. Pointing to the black haired young lady at the checkout counter she added: Your mummy is a lovely mummy. She takes good care of you. She loves you a lot.

The baby smiled.

No tears left! It winkled a little dimple on one cheek. Attentively it listened lovingly stretching up its arms toward the lady. A calm came over the child, in balance to all, instantly!

How easy it is to create my own world of peace.

THAT SAME DAY I had an appointment with Steve, a certified speech pathologist. Now that I am a naturalized American I like to improve my American pronunciation and speak more clearly and perfectly.

When I enter the small waiting room of Steve’s studio, Josephine, the ever so friendly receptionist welcomes me from behind her window. While I sign-in and pay my check, we share a mutually uplifting chat.

How was your weekend, I casually asked while taking my seat just vis-à-vis her window. Never abandoning her many office tasks, she answers with a seldom reluctance. "It could have been better," hiding her formerly always smiling facial expression behind the window.

Why that, I asked. I felt it was important to talk about it.

"My husband’s son came to visit us. He is addicted to drugs and gives us problems. I had never experienced him like this—what a challenge," she openly admitted.

"To find peace within me, I took one read of your GIST booklets reading a couple of sentences in God’s Pocket, my attitude was changed. I stopped judging him. In this uplifting awareness I did what I never thought I could do. I called Edwin in my room. Believe it or not—I talked with our 18-year-old son."

I smiled as I recognized her conscious choice of words: from my husband’s son to our son. Now her face brightened up. Her normal inner contentment reflected in her sparkling deep blue eyes. I always admire her competence and diligence, how she works and how she tastefully cares about her outer and inner appearance. Today she wore a well-designed sapphire colored dress— neatly suiting her naturally short-cut blond hair.

"Resentfully Edwin came," she continued her story, after she had answered a couple of phone calls. "He sat on the couch bitterly staring into an apparent emptiness."

"How will I ever come through," I first thought. Then you came in my mind, our happy sharing times here in the studio, giggling and laughing being positive about life. The picture came up when last week you talked to one of our patients, Mr Barrett, just when he came out from his speech lesson with Steve. He is passing a challenging time since he had been operated on his tongue. You smiled at him; you went to hug him though you never met him before as you had talked with his wife while she was waiting for him. Spontaneously this picture of unconditional love flashed in front of my eyes. When I opened my mouth to talk to Edwin, a flow of gentle words poured out. I spoke with warmth. I was calm. I shared quietly and lovingly. I cared about our son. Though my words first vanished into a deep silence with no answer from Edwin, I saw an instant change in his facial expression. After a while of stillness, he slowly got up with a small smile on his face. All he could say was a whispering thank you, thank you very much. Then he left giving me a swift look directly into my eyes silently closing the door.

"Only now I live my gift, the benefit of what happened over the weekend. It actually was a very good weekend and I am happy we talked about it," Josephine happily sighed.

"I now know whenever I ask for inner guidance God in me gives the answer. I listened within and I followed what I heard. I see Edwin now master of his habit. I love our son."

A day in town—what a reward of my joyous creation!

Dr Ellen Jermini

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