Expectations...

kar·ma [kahr-muh]
-noun
1. Hinduism, Buddhism. action, seen as bringing upon oneself inevitable results, good or bad, either in this life or in a reincarnation: in Hinduism one of the means of reaching Brahman.

To be honest, I don't really like talking about karma, ironically, however, I talk about it in some form or fashion everyday. We all do. I just like using the term "reaping what you sow. " they are similar in some form but different as well. Tomatoes or tomatoes, I know. We all have something we prefer over the other. Both terms do imply that whatever you do has a corresponding action to it. For every action there is a reaction.

I think we get upset with karma and life for a couple of reasons. We all know someone who wants more than they contribute in life (it may be you). You know, the person that gives a dollar expecting to be a millionaire for their contribution. I'm not saying it doesn't happen, but be a little more realistic with your expectations (yes, I realize that the amount doesn't really mean anything. If that was all you had then that's more people Should strive to give as much). There is also that person who does something small for you and in return wants you to do something huge for them, knowing they would never accept something like that from you.

Instant gratification is starting to become a major downfall for a lot of us as well, especially when it comes to interaction with one another. We want instant gratification for just about everything we do. Instant karma doesn't generally happen that way in life and we also tend to attempt to push instant karma on each other. Negative actions are not trumped by negative responses. If your ex cheated on you, let it go and move on. Stop trying to get back a them so that you can have some sense of evenness or because you want to teach them a lesson. You just got schooled in betrayal, so how are you gonna teach the same lesson? All you are doing is adding to your own negative karma. Move on and find happiness elsewhere, if that's an option. Our emotions do not need to be instantly appeased, and that what gets us in trouble. We feel a certain way and we feel some need to cater to that emotion, and perform some action with little to no thought. We then end up with a bigger problem than what we started out with.

I use to wonder if karma existed or not. I questioned it because I wanted instant gratification and I felt that things weren't going fairly in my life.... In other words I felt like I wasn't getting what I deserved. I was asking why me a lot. Truth is, I probably was getting what I deserved, I just didn't realize it at first. Every action has a reaction, and you reap what you sow.

Many people compare life to a garden or a field, I'm no exception. You have to make sure that the ground you choose to plant is is suitable for growth, cause that's your foundation. Then you have to make sure that the seeds you plant will produce the fruit that you want. It makes no sense planting apple seeds when you want oranges. If you want positive things to happen to you in life, you have to be positive. It's that simple. Success starts out in your mind. You have to think and believe before you actually do. And that's the care and time you put into your garden. If you neglect your product for too long then it's not going to grow the way you want it to. Life does have unexpected outcomes though and your fruit will not always produce the way you expect it to. However, once your fruit has develops you have to share it with others. It's not just for your consumption alone.

There is a phrase I've heard too much of in the last couple of weeks: "If you are the smartest in your group, then you need to find another group." I have no idea why people believe this statement. Why should you change groups just because you are the brightest? A pastor doesn't dump his deacons because they don't experience revelations on the same level he does. He shares his revelations, and in turn they apply that to their lives and share with others. Thats what we should all do with our knowledge. It's our gift. It's our fruit.

When it comes to giving, you don give just so that you receive. Thats not why you give. Eventually you will recurve but that's because giving inspires more giving. We give because we are able to. Plain and simple. We have an abundance of whatever it is that we have been inspired to give. Giving brings others that much closer to feeling whole.