All Those Photographs

Good Morning Dearhearts,

On Saturday, April 26^th, I arose early to watch some of the funeral of Pope Francis.  I am not a Catholic but this Pope was admired and loved by many who do not attend the church. 

From the beginning of his papacy he let us know he saw himself as a pastor or shepherd to a flock.  He was humble in his life but a guiding light to the people of the world.  When he said, “Who am I to judge” that simple phrase warmed the hearts of many who have felt harsh judgment during most of their lives, and many have felt that harshness from churches.

It was estimated around 200 thousand were in St. Peter’s Square to witness and say goodbye to this dear man.  As the camera panned over the crowd during the service I must say I was surprised to see so many phones in the air recording or taking pictures.  I thought to myself is the experience of actually being there now substituted for a video or a few pictures on a camera roll? How often will those videos or pictures be viewed after the new Pope is elected?

Of course people want a remembrance of being at such a sacred service; but the feelings and the energies of being there cannot be captured digitally. The temptation to look at any event through a camera lens has increased exponentially since everyone now has a camera and video recorder as part of their mobile phone. But perhaps we are actually missing something even though the event has been captured in pictures.

There is energy to everything in this world. We are energetic beings having physical experiences and I’m sure most have recounted an energy they felt when visiting the ocean or forest.  As energy we feel energy.  Why do we want to watch life through a lens when we can actually “BE” in the present moment?

This body is equipped with a sensory system.  It allows us to feel the energy around us in any situation. For instance if you are in the middle of a concert for your favorite artist and the crowd is cheering and screaming, that power becomes an integral part of the whole concert experience.  Taking pictures of the concert will not convey the sensory experience of being in a crowd of several thousand screaming concert fans.

A dear friend of mine was at a World Series game once and as the final play was about to happen for the game, he closed his eyes.  Instead of cheering or screaming for his team he decided to feel the energy of the game.  Long after the series was decided he could recall that moment when he was a part of the entire stadium and every player and fan.  It became an imprint in his memory.

There is a significant difference to attending an event or being a part of the event.

Our camera rolls can remind us where we were at a given moment, but our sensory memories can remind us how we felt in that moment.

I hope the 200 thousand mourners can remember the emotions they felt as their beloved Pope was laid to rest. It was probably a once in a lifetime experience and to trust it solely to a digital device does not give it the standing it deserves as a significant memory.

Let’s now recall the scene in Saint Peter’s Square not quite two weeks later, May 8^th.  On that historic day the white smoke appeared indicating a new Pope had been elected. Again there were hundreds of people in attendance, many but not all Catholics. There was an energy of excitement in the crowd.  They just witnessed history. Who would be the next Pope?

This crowd was obviously more jubilant, this was a happy day, day of expectations, a new beginning. There were fewer phones recording the event, the cameras were still present but not everywhere.  In fact one person who was interviewed mentioned the energy present as the white smoke was witnessed.

Being present, in the now, aware of the moment is a struggle for many.  We tend to live each day thinking about what was or what might happen mainly because our minds are a “mindfield” of thoughts. There is so much thinking each moment, each day.   Instead of becoming present in the moment, we tend to watch life through a lens and think about where we will share or post the pictures.  What hashtags will we use on Facebook or other social media so we get the most likes or better yet “go viral”?

We are living life based on the opinions of others most of the time and this is not a way to happiness. We misplace a bit of our True Self whenever we succumb to the pressures of the perceived outside world.  This is our biggest challenge in this world. When we realize the world as we experience it is only an unfulfilled dream that will never satisfy our spirit.  The spirit rejoices each time we remember we actually abide in the All That Is and not where we think we are.

Those moments of Presence not clouded by time beliefs need no photographs or videos to be recalled.

“Into His Presence would I enter now”[1]

If you enjoyed this post please check out my books, Good Morning Dearhearts  or Wisdom With A Twist. Both are available on my website-JanetWeissman.com or on Amazon.

In Love, Light & Peace

Janet Weissman

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[1] ACIM Workbook Lesson 157-Header