War of the Worlds

Orson Welles penned this wonderful sci-fi story of an invasion of earth by aliens, but it was a radio broadcast that sounded so real that those who did not know it thought the invasion was real and was taking place in their real time. I remember reading this book in school and feeling the fear and excitement for the people, and then later seeing it on television. Somehow, as much as I love seeing stories played out on the big screen, this time I liked the book better. When writers write without illustrations they leave your imagination to create the images they describe, and somehow the images you create are better than those created by others for you. LOL!!!

As I watched this story on the big screen I found myself arguing with what was happening before my eyes. I needed my copy of the book so I could refute what the director and actors were trying to get me to accept as “fact”. LOL!! There truly was a war of the worlds going on between me and not Mr. Welles mind you (for he did his job all too well, no pun intended), but with those who also used their imaginations to create what THEY saw when they read the book. I guess if I had their money and connections I could make my own movie and stop this civil war, for they didn’t even know they were in a war. :-) Memory of this book and the movie came to me the other day while I was reading and meditating and writing in my journal about “change”.

As much as we know we need to change in some ways, and as much as we desire change, how to bring it about, what to do and when are not always apparent, or easy. I find that when I read something “new”, when I’m learning from a new textbook or documentary, and yes even from the most sacred book of all books, the Holy Bible, sometimes I experience some mental and emotional turbulence as information and revelation meet what I have already stored on the bookshelves of my psyche and life. There’s not always a shaking of the hands, or bisous bisous and hugging going on. Sometimes I experience a "Westside Story" fight as I try to fathom and swallow new information. Sometimes the war is on!!! :-)

You see, there’s the world from where this new information is and is coming from, and then there’s my world – the world inside my mind, my life, my experiences – no matter how good or bad, young or old, new or ancient, cold or hot, black or white or gray/grey (comme tu veut), etc. I think you get my point. In order for me to experience change I must be willing to give up something to receive something else. I must be willing to surrender some territory, cry “uncle”, lay down my “arms” and come out with my “hands” up. Now this is easy to do when a police person is telling you to do so especially while pointing a gun at you; Most of the time it’s the safest stance to take. I find that the “war” is the hottest when I’m protecting something I truly believe in because maybe it, (or he or she) has been extraterrestrial good to me and I don’t want to live without it. Or maybe “it” has just been with me for so long, taught to me as a child by important adults that I never questioned its authenticity or its relevance for my life now, and like a child maybe I respond with “mom said” or “the church said”, as my only defense.

But when I lay down my arms and take a chance and come out of hiding with my hands up, into the illumination of information I’ve never before considered or heard of, I give myself a chance to see things differently and thus receive what might be fresh manna. Now I’m not saying I believe that all “unknown-to-me information” is good for me or others, and I’m not saying I believe all “new” information and swallow it hook, line and sinker, for I would be calling myself a liar. But what I am saying is when I release all fears I no longer have a reason to not listen and hear what is being said to me from the “other” world.

The foundational reason why we reject new information is fear of invasion. :-) We fear that others will indoctrinate us and lead us astray or deceive us, and it is very possible. However, fear doesn’t serve to keep us from being deceived and misled. As a matter of fact it does just the very opposite, at least this has been my experience. Just because we “hear” what others are saying and have to say doesn’t mean we have to obey. We can always reject what we don’t accept and believe, then there doesn’t have to be a war. But the war happens when we’re struggling to receive and accept what’s being served to us which opposes what we already “know” and believe, and live.

The war sometimes is greatest when we really want to change, but we don’t want to make a mistake or go to extremes. Other times the war is hottest when we don’t want to change and we feel like we’re being forced to do so, but if we’re going to coexist in certain circles, change is required. Or we must “depart”. War of the worlds.

The greatest change for me occurred when I finally learned to relax and release the grip on the religious beliefs that had a stronghold on me since childhood. Now don’t misunderstand me or get me wrong. I have not “divorced” my beliefs in God and His love and sacrifice for me through His Son Jesus the Christ, by no stretch of the imagination. But what I am saying is my relationship with Him has evolved and changed and has become vibrant and something I never in my life imagined it could or would, because I finally gave fear his pink slip, and I laid down my arms and came out with my hands up. I allowed my world to be invaded by the world of the Kingdom of God through His written Word and through His Spirit living inside my heart.

I am grateful for the war of our worlds for it showed me how much He loves me and how much I needed and continue to need Him. Most of the time when countries go to war they invade and destroy and set up empires for selfish reasons, not benefitting the original inhabitants. But that is not what happened when God invaded my world. He brought with Him everything that He is to benefit me on every level of my life as a human being and as a woman, spirit, soul and body. He brought with Him my original purpose for living to put me back on track so I can fulfill my destiny and experience joy and happiness at the same time, no matter what is happening in this world, and my world. From His world He brought into my world real love and peace, joy and faith, goodness and meekness, patience and humility – what the Bible calls “The fruit of the Spirit”.

Into my world He brings His character and personality to help me develop mine and heal from scars and wounds of the past, so I can experience healthy interpersonal relationships with others. Wars are not all bad, and invasions don’t always bring crazy diseases and alien worms and "Men in Black" creatures. LOL!! The Bible says about Jesus “He came to His own and His own received Him not”, meaning He entered as a man the very world He created, and His own world rejected Him. But that did not stop Him from coming, nor from loving those He created and came to reunite with. I am glad He came and I’m glad He started a war with me. I surrender all. . . :-)