Let us feel that we are trying to become goof men of warm hearts, not good statues of cold marble. A grateful heart comes through expressing gratitude to our Heavenly Father for His blessings and to those around us for all that they bring into our lives. Through divine intervention those who are lepers are spared from a cruel, lingering death and given a new lease on life. It is not necessary that he remain married in order to pay repentance, nor on the other hand is he free to follow personal desires in the matter. It is a mistake to think that such a debt must continue to be paid until the end of one’s life. Yet, if one’s inner life and path are not to be obstructed, it must be paid off. Only the voice of his own deeper conscience may decide this point. An individual may keep the ideal of a true mate but understand that one cannot be absolutely certain to meet him or her on this Earth. The spiritual path is a call to renunciation of personal attachments, inwardly at least, and to a renunciation of the terrestrial nature also. If inner peace is to be obtained, both have to be overcome. However, once overcome, the World can be enjoyed without danger because his happiness no longer depends on it. If he lets the natural desire for a mate be included in but transcended by the higher desire for spiritual realization, he stands a chance to get both. However, if he feels that the first is wholly indispensable, he may miss the chance to get either. #RandolphHarris 1 of 18

The truth is that the Soul will not give itself to you unless you love It more than anything or anyone else. He may have great capacity for love in his nature which, properly directed by wisdom, may lead him to great spiritual heights and human satisfactions. However, directed by impulse, unchecked by reason, it can bring him into situations productive of much misery to himself and to others. He must therefore make it a part of his spiritual discipline to secure this balance. Until he has secured it, he should not commit himself to any decision without consulting with a spiritually mature person. Much harm has been done by the pseudo-romantic nonsense and false suggestions put out by cinema, magazines, social media, and novels. When one of the two belongs in every way—spiritual, intellectual, and social—to a class higher than the other, marriage is a risky affair. If they cannot meet on these levels, where can they? The bad in both is brought out and made worse; the good is diminished. If it were an essential part of religion, this was one of the original reasons why the caste system got established in some form or among the Old World, celebrities, and business elite. Marriage multiples burdens, entanglements, anxieties, difficulties, and Worldly preoccupations. #RandolphHarris 2 of 18

The single man has a better chance to wed his life to a single undistracted aim. Nevertheless, philosophy does not condemn marriage but leaves it to individual choice. Indeed, when two persons are temperamentally harmonious and spiritually suitable, it definitely approves of marriage. If he could find a companion who has the character and capacity to help, and not to hinder, his own inner pilgrimage, then it might be useful for him to marry; but is she were to tall short of this ideal, then greater inner misery would descend upon him. If she has to some, she will come into his life of her own accord, and there is a certain fate about such matters. In any case, it will be advisable to wait to make sure that the inner harmony does really exist. Some questions asked about marriage problems ought not to be answered by anyone other than the individual’s own higher self. Let him hear the voice of the Overself, which concerns itself neither with conventional contemporary attitudes, outdated Old World teachings, nor merely personal reactions. Let him listen mentally in profoundest prayer to hear this voice. My brothers and sisters, do we remember to give thanks for the blessings we receive? Sincerely giving thanks not only helps us recognize our blessings, but it also unlocks the doors of Heaven and helps us feel God’s love. #RandolphHarris 3 of 18

When you walk with gratitude, you do not walk with arrogance and conceit and egotism, you walk with a spirit of thanksgiving that is becoming to you and will bless your lives. It would be a profound error to believe that because the philosophic life is so deeply concerned with self-improvement and the philosophic mind so attached to serious studies, therefore the philosophic student must be a gloomy, dreary, and miserable individual. However, the contrary is the fact. His faith uplifts and upholds him, his knowledge brings joy and peace to him. Nor should the renunciatory preachments of therapists, friends, and parents, the bitter complaints of Job, the harsh pessimism of Schopenhauer, and the appraisal of the World’s life as vain and foolish in Ecclesiastes make us forget the cheerful optimism of Emerson and the bright rapture of many a mystic. The quest for an ideal place or person can never be satisfied; consequently, it can never really end. What we may hope to find are better places, better persons. The dream of the Best will always remain only a dream. Where is the Earthly thing, attraction, creature, which can compete successfully with THAT in the deepest heart of men? Without knowing what he is really doing, he is seeking THAT amid all other activities, loving THAT behind all other loves. #RandolphHarris 4 of 18

Given certain conditions, thinking only of oneself and without care for the welfare of other men, it is possible to attain happiness, but it is not possible to keep it. For if destiny or nature do not interrupt or destroy it, some among those others will become envious and may turn into potential danger to one’s happiness. Only to the extent that we unfold ourselves to the light of the impersonal Overself shall we secure personal happiness. The happiness which everyone wants can be found only in the eternal, not in the temporal. However, everyone continues to try this or that, with the same endlessly repeated result. Nobody listens to the prophets who tell this, or listens with more than his ears, until time teaches him its truth. Then only do his heart and will begin to apply it. The danger of seeking for personal happiness over and above self-improvement is one of nurturing egoism and thus hindering that improvement. And how could anyone find happiness so long as the cases of his suffering lie so largely in his own frailties? With a single exception, no living man is ever really content either with his lot or, what in the end is the same thing, with himself. That exception is the illuminate. In the timed state, all living men are unconsciously strive to become what they already are in the eternal one. #RandolphHarris 5 of 18

Human beings are unwittingly in search of themselves. This is the hidden cause of all their discontent, all their restless desires, endeavours, and ambitions. Happiness cannot be found by those who seek it as a goal in itself. It can be found only by those who know it is a result and not a goal. We have all experienced times when our focus is on what we lack rather than on our blessings. Said the Greek philosopher Epictetus, “He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has.” Gratitude is a divine principle. The Lord declared through a revelation given to the Prophet Joseph Smith: “Thou shalt thank the Lord thy God in all things and in nothing doth man offend God, or against none is his wrath kindled, save those who confess not his hand in all things. In the Book of Mormon, we are told to “live in thanksgiving daily, for the many mercies and blessings which [God] doth bestow upon you.” If we will but pause and contemplate our blessings, regardless of our circumstances, each of us has much for which to be grateful. This is a wonderful time to be on Earth. While there is much that is wrong in the World today, there are many good things that are right. There are marriages that make it, parents who love their children and sacrifice for them, friends who care about us and help us, teachers who teach. Our lives are blessed in countless ways. #RandolphHarris 6 of 18

We can lift ourselves and others as well when we refuse to remain in the realm of negative thought and cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude. If ingratitude be numbered among the serious sins, then gratitude takes its place among the noblest of virtues. Someone has said that “gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all others.” How can we cultivate within our hearts an attitude of gratitude? The grateful man sees so much in the World to be thankful for, and with him the good outweighs the evil. Love overpowers jealousy, and light drives darkness out of his life. Pride destroys our gratitude and sets up selfishness in its place. How much happier we are in the presence of a grateful and loving soul, and how careful we should be to cultivate, though the medium of a prayerful life, a thankful attitude toward God and man! A prayerful life is the key to possessing gratitude. Material things possession make us happy and grateful momentarily. However, those things which provide deep and lasting happiness and gratitude are the things which money cannot buy: our families, the gospel, good friends, our health, our abilities, the love we receive from those around us. Unfortunately, these are some of the things we allow ourselves to take for granted. #RandolphHarris 7 of 18

In fact, most human beings have an almost infinite capacity for taking things for granted. We often take for granted the very people who most deserve our gratitude. Let us not wait until it is too late for us to express that gratitude. Speaking of loved ones he had lost, my father declared his regret this way: “I remember those happy days, and often wish I could speak into the ears of the dead the gratitude which was due them in life, and so ill returned.” It is true that the student of philosophy, understanding the impermanent and imperfect nature of this World, has in one sense renounced the quest of personal happiness, but he has renounced it only as an end in itself. He comprehends, on the one hand, that it is futile to demand perfection and permanence when the ever-changing World cannot by its very nature give them. To seek to establish personal happiness under such conditions is to travel farther away from it. He comprehends, on the other hand, that so long as he feels for and with other living creatures, he cannot be fully happy whilst so many among them are immersed in suffering. However, all this is not to say that he needs to forgo the guest of the higher transworldly happiness which is entirely independent of persons, places, and things and which is to be found within the Overself alone. #RandolphHarris 8 of 18

Moreover, he realizes that it is his duty to attain it precisely because he must attain the power to lift those suffering creatures above their misery and gloom, to infuse in them the life-giving qualities of hope, courage, and serenity which will help them triumph over difficulties. Thus, there is no adequate reason why he should be less happy than other men. The depth of his thinking and discipline of his senses do not prevent his sharing in the beauty-brining arts, the laughter-raising fun, and the lighter diversions of human living. Indeed, by his efforts to reshape his thought and conduct, he is eliminating a number of causes which would otherwise bring him future worry and misery, just as he is fortifying himself to bear present trouble with calmness and wisdom. Moreover, if he has not already partially realised it–he is on the path to realizing for himself that inexpressible inner beauty and satisfying bliss which accompany the consciousness of Overself. Even from afar its reflected light shines down upon his path, to cheer the mind and warm the heart. No—he cannot be a miserable man. He is in the process of finding an exalted and enduring happiness which is not bought at the expense of others, but rather shared with others. #RandolphHarris 9 of 18

If it is approached with reason, impersonality, and the determination to learn wisdom, some worthwhile lessons may be got by analysis and reflection from experience of human love. We may see the risks in permitting happiness to depend upon another person, whoever that other person may be. The first love must be given to the divine soul within one’s own heart, because it alone will never desert, betray, or disappoint. Then and then only may an individual turn to human love for comfort. Although psychotherapy seems to me to be the same process in neurotics and in schizophrenics, the differences manifested by schizophrenics are important, because here we find written large and unavoidable some of the factors which we may overlook in usual psychotherapy. For example, we often tend to overlook the problems of externalization and trivial talking in ordinary therapy. We know it happens and that such clients are most often eventual failures. If, however, nearly every person we saw in therapy confronted us with it, how different would be our reaction to this problem? We would then have to do something to meet the problem. We do not as yet have conclusive findings about the effectiveness of psychotherapy with schizophrenics. Roger Price, in his book What Not To Name The Baby, lists some common American forenames and gives a one-sentence description of the kind of personality that goes with each. #RandolphHarris 10 of 18

The uncanny accuracy, or at least plausibility of his descriptions is of great interest to script analysts. There is no doubt that in many cases given names, short names, and nicknames, or whatever praenomen is bestowed or inflicted on the innocent newborn, is a clear indication of where his parents want hm to go; and if he is to break away from the obvious hint, he will have to struggle against such influences, which will be continued in other forms as well. Names as script indicators are most likely to take hold in high school, where the boy or girl reads about famous namesakes in myth and history, or where his or her classmates bring home to them with more or less brutality the hidden meanings in their names. This is something parents have control over and should be able to foresee. There are four ways in which a forename can become scripty: purposefully, accidentally, inadvertently, and inevitably. Purposeful. The name may be a very specialized one, such as Septimus S. (who became a professor of classical philosophy) Randolph (who built several castles), Napoleon (who became a corporal), or Jesus, a common name in Central America. Or it may be a variant of a common name. Charles and Frederick were kings and emperors. A boy who is steadfastly called Charles or Frederick by his mother, and insists that his associates call him that, lives in a different style of life than one who is commonly hailed as Chuck or Fred, while Charlie and Freddie are likely to be horses of still another colour. #RandolphHarris 11 of 18

Naming a boy after his father or a girl after her mother is usually a purposeful act on the part of the parents, and puts an obligation on the offspring which they may not care to fulfill, or may even actively rebel against, so that their whole life plan is permeated by a slight bitterness or an active resentment. Accidental. A girl called Durleen or Aspasia, and a body called Marmaduke, may get along smoothly in one state or country or high school, but if their parents’ chance to move elsewhere, they may be made acutely conscious of their names and be forced to take a position about it. Similarly with a body called Lynn or a girl named Tony. Inadvertent. Pet names such as Bub, Butch, Sis, and Junior may not be intended to stick, but quite often they do, so that the person remains Bub, Sis, Butch, or Junior for life, willingly or unwillingly. Inevitable. Since parents have little option but to pass on what they got from grandfather, surnames are a different matter. There are many honorable European names which become obscenities in English; as one man morosely remarked: “I’m so lucky. I’ve got only one dirty word in my name.” This was brought to the attention most clearly in high school, where he suffered not only the indignities bestowed on immigrants, but in addition offered a ready-made handle for ribaldry. However, he felt that his name was no asset in the business World either. #RandolphHarris 12 of 18

Some people in this same predicament feel that they are cursed by their ancestors from birth to be losers. On the other hand, Christ is a not uncommon surname, and this also poses a script problem, albeit of a different kind, especially for church-going boys. It is no wonder that H. Head and W.R. Brain both became well-known neurologists. Besides being asked, “Who chose your name?” and “Where does your surname come from?” the patient should also be asked in every case: “Have you ever actually read your birth certificate?” If he has not, he should be instructed to do so, or even better, bring it in for the therapist to see. When they read them carefully for the first time, about fifty percent of people find surprises on their birth certificates: omissions, misapprehension, or information they were not aware of. Often the name on the certificate is different from what they have been called all their lives, much to their astonishment or chagrin. Almost all of these surprises will throw additional light on the scripts of the parents and the context of the patient’s birth. If not impossible, while it is good to reflect upon one’s own experiencing, but excessive reflections make action difficult. Nevertheless, there is value in examining the structure of one’s field of consciousness, especially in the light of a quest for further self-development. A different kind of warning is sounded by Schur with regard to the current consciousness fascination. #RandolphHarris 13 of 18

Schur has raised the question about whether or not the emphasis upon individual consciousness will lead young, committed persons to concern themselves entirely with themselves and turn away from the hard work involved in righting social wrongs. Schur points out that all of our societies are riddles with problems that cannot be correctly seen as originating even in collective consciousness. Societal problems require social answers. Particularly in the sphere of chemical alterations of consciousness, including alcohol and the mind-altering drugs such as lysergsaure-diethylamid (LSD), is the phenomenon of escape from social responsibility apparent. (It is important to avoid using all drugs, specially those that are known to be severely mind altering. While all drugs can lead to death, psychoactive and hallucinogenic compounds such as LSD and psilocybin can get you so high that you never come down, and for the rest of your life you will be “out of your mind,” and may or may not realize it.) What modes are predominant in your consciousness? Is there some one sensory modality that is not functioning? When was the last time you really looked at something, smelled it, tasted it, fondled and touched it? There are “sensory awakening” exercises that are fun to do and that enrich the quality of experience. #RandolphHarris 14 of 18

However, imagine that you are trying to stimulate sensory awakening with drugs and are never able to see colours again, lose you hearing, are never able to taste a peace, totally fry your brain, or cause one or several of your organs to fail. Dreams offer us glimpses of other ways to live, as well as flashes of truth about ourselves and our situation. “Openness” is becoming one of the few characteristics of the healthy personality that is agreed upon by all writers. In self-actualized individuals, creativity, among men particularly, is highly correlated with openness to theoretical, and aesthetic experiences. This suggests the “natural” consciousness expansion as being characteristic of the high-level-functioning person. Can you maintain your openness to new ideas in the face of threats? This practice often involves intercession prayers twice a day. Such activities quite down the outer and inner voices and enable one to listen to self and are worthwhile for personal growth. In the harried and hassled World of learning and of the marketplace, it is a rare person who can systematically, daily put aside the external World for long periods of time. However, there is much to say for such an effort. “Draw near to God and He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners; and purify your hearts, you double-minded. Lament and mourn and weep! Let your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He will life you up,” reports James 4.8-10. The results strongly indicate that the program reduces anxiety, depression, and neuroticism and increases self-actualization. Through intercession, some have even reached “high” levels of awareness through supernatural means.  #RandolphHarris 15 of 18

The significance of the positive experience in developing high-level-functioning person is shown in a study of critical experiences that tested persons, ranging from undergraduate students to octogenarians, reported their critical experiences as being essentially happy and more self-actualized. Furthermore, the high-level-functioning person is able to derive positive results even from painful experiences. Do you bemoan misfortunes or make the most of them? Is your consciousness governed by D-motivation? Can you recognize teachers and companions who are consciousness-expanding influences? Equally important, can you distinguish between those who do open your consciousness and those who are simply looking for others to share their short-term escapes from reality? Which “side” of your brain needs developing, the analytical or the emotional? The Sacramento Fire Department has a staff of high-level-functioning persons. Their goal is to protect the lives and property of Sacramento City and County residents. “All the racial and religious prejudices existed. They dominated the city in the old days. How did I cope with it? I coped with it by being tough. You have to learn how to get along, how to get to know people, and how to make them respect you. I encountered many examples of prejudice in the city as a kid, and yet, in the end, people accepted me as an individual if I could pull my weight, and I could. #RandolphHarris 16 of 18

“As a kid, I was polite and learned what the rules were in the firehouse. They learned to trust me and to respect me, as I respected them. And so the barriers began to fall everywhere. As a fireman, yes, I faced prejudice. There was no doubt that certain individuals I knew and certain areas had a lot of prejudice people. But the whole thing came down to what you did out there on the fire ground. What you did there did all the talking for you. People saw I cared no matter what the color of their skin was, their surname, or their religion. If you pulled your weight as a firefighter, and you did what was expected of you, and you did it well, they had to respect for it. That really is what breaks the barriers. With blacks, woman, and Hispanics, affirmative action really helped those who had talent. They worked harder than other guys and it made people like them. There is a lot of tension, and all side have to learn to adjust to each other. What is really going to even it out in the end is how they do out on the streets. How do they stand up to the test of being a firefighter? If they stand up and are able to meet the test of firefighter, they will earn acceptance the same as anybody else has earned acceptance. If they fail, the individual will never be accepted as a firefighter. That is why affirmative action programs worked. If they could not cut it, they got cut. We did not allow substandard work.” #RandolphHarris 17 of 18

The Sacramento Fire Department provides professional life safety, property protection, and disaster preparedness services. They achieve this through extensive fire prevention and safety education efforts, along with quick and effective responses to emergencies. You can save lives by donating to the Sacramento Fire Department. Also, it is absolutely important to raise your children to love America and to be patriotic citizens. By loving God and Jesus Christ, we can keep America a cohesive country. By supporting our local businesses by buying American cars, and other goods and services produced by Americans, this will stimulate our economy and help produce more high paying jobs in America. It is also important to respect law and order. As God loving citizen, we make it a goal to treat our elders with dignity, care, reverence, patience and empathy so that we may continue to be blessed by God. I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic, for which it stands, one nation, under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. “My country, ‘tis of thee, sweet land of liberty, of thee I sing; land where my fathers died, land of the Pilgrims’ pride, from every mountain side let freedom ring. Our fathers’ God, to Thee, Author of liberty, to Thee I sing; long may our land be bright, with freedom’s holy light; protect us by Thy might, Great God, our King.” #RandolphHarris 18 of 18

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