A Slum

 My spiritual life was a slum, as in “the Slum of the Soul.”   Ruth Burrows coined that phrase.  I wanted to be rid of this slum and become beautiful inside.  I wanted to be more than better.  I wanted to be cured, healed, thinking this would be true happiness and joy.  Does not work that way.  Some things, flaws, defects will be with me forever.  Bad?  No.  Staying a slum can crush the ego centered self.  But what I do is build a garden in the slum.  I have seen this in inner cities.  If you cannot change something completely into your fantasy, why not build something beautiful upon what there is.  There will be the flower of acceptance.  The bulb of tolerance.  The greenery of compassion mixed in with some patience.  All of it will be service to the world around me, the neighborhood of people and situations in which I live.  It is a step by step process.  It is an everyday of weeding.  My garden is for others.  I am now more free and happy.  I call it recovery.