Monthly Archives: November 2012

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Meditative Thought: Keeping It Simple

It is important that we remind ourselves from time to time that being on the spiritual path, becoming more conscious, is not at all complicated.

The contrary is the case.

As we devote ourselves to becoming more conscious, our lives do not get more complicated. Our lives become simpler.

This is because there are no complex rituals or rules that we must learn. There are no doctrines or ideologies that we must believe in or follow. Becoming conscious does not involve accumulating more “mind stuff.” Becoming conscious involves the letting go of all of that.

A simple practice that we may put to use is to simply be present. To not get caught up in the past or dwell upon the future, but much rather simply be here now. We might focus on our breath as we do this, as the breath always anchors us in the present moment.

As we allow ourselves to be present, life suddenly becomes so much simpler.

If there’s anything that requires our attention in the moment, we tend to it. If there isn’t, we simply allow ourselves to notice the nowness and the isness of the moment.

A feeling of serenity begins to flood our awareness. Ease and grace become our companions.

So let us remember that none of this is complicated.

Let us be aware that simplicity is the key, ease is the doorway, and peace and letting go are the pathway towards experiencing higher states of awareness.

It is a sweet journey. And it only gets sweeter and sweeter.

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Peace of Mind: Touching the Ineffable, Sensing the Indescribable

The first line of the Tao Te Ching states that “the Tao that can be named is not the Tao.” This is a profound statement. Tao is simply another word for God. It’s another word that seeks to describe that which is ultimately indescribable. We may use various words to try and articulate this Ineffable Presence of Love, Beauty, and Intelligence, yet ultimately all words are merely sign posts, pointing to a truth that is ultimately unnamable. The moment you place a label on the Ineffable, it’s no longer the Ineffable. It has simply become another conceptualized version of that which cannot be described.

There is a beautiful statement in Zen Buddhism that says, “All words are but a finger pointing to the moon; and those whose gaze is fixed upon the finger will never see beyond.” This profound analogy reminds us to not get caught up in the words, but much rather to look to experience. There is no doubt that words are useful, yet we must not mistake the words for the actual thing itself.

So whether we say God, Infinite Intelligence, Love Intelligence, Divinity, or the Universe, whether we talk about Christ Consciousness, Buddha Mind, or Krishna Awareness, it all points to the same truth. We may use whatever words we feel most comfortable with. I myself tend to alternate quite a bit. One of the descriptions I’ve grown fond of is “Universal Beloved.” This beautifully articulates what our relationship with our Source is intended to be. When you begin to think of God as Universal Beloved, you realize that this Beloved is everywhere – after all, it’s universal – and before you know it you may find yourself falling in love with whoever happens to be in your field of awareness. Not the sort of love that requires anything in return, but much rather the Love with a capital “L.” The kind of Love that is open and available to anyone, the Love that demands nothing because it needs nothing, the Love that might be referred to as “…radiating from my heart like light from a bonfire. Focused upon no one, and denied to none.”

Now you may ask, how do we attain this state of awareness? On a very practical level, where do we begin? How may we truly comprehend God, and furthermore cultivate our experience of God? Religions have attempted to explain what God is since time immemorial, and as a result there have been tremendous distortions that have found their way out into the world. Some even hold that God is some kind of judgmental figure, literally waiting for us to make a mistake so that we then may be punished for our errors. Really, if you get right down to it, there are some descriptions that make “god” sound like a super-ego with some severe anger issues, to say the least.

Now, I am not trying to offend anyone’s beliefs. But I do believe that, if you’re reading this, you’re probably aware that God is not some elderly white male with a beard sitting on a cloud, keeping score and grading us on everything we do. This concept of “god,” where we’ve essentially projected a human judgment system upon an externalized deity, is not the kind of God we’re talking about here. God is not a person.

And so again this leads us back to the question of how can we truly describe God? The truth is, as the Tao Te Ching indicates, God cannot be described. God can only be experienced. So how do you experience God? You experience God in the sweetness of your own consciousness.

You begin by withdrawing your attention from your surroundings, the world of effects, and instead place your attention inward. As you find that silent space within, you will notice that there is a sense of peace, a feeling of complete serenity, untouched by human experience. This peace cannot be accessed through your thoughts; your mind will not get you there. Your thoughts may be roaming around, revolving around this or that, but this peace lies beyond thought. It is a peace that truly passeth all understanding. It can only be found in pure awareness. Just like clouds drift by in the sky, your thoughts drift by in the field of your awareness. So as you shift your attention away from the thoughts, and instead focus upon the awareness, the observer of the thoughts, you open yourself up to a sense of pure being, a feeling of simply existing, a feeling of I Am. Not I am this, or I am that; but much rather simply I Am. Through cultivating your awareness of I Am, you open up the doorway through which the sweet nectar of Spirit may flow into your life.

Scripture says, “Be still and know that I am God.” This reminds us that it is only in the stillness of our own awareness that we find God. Not as a person, concept, or thing, but God as a sense of Existence Itself, a feeling of intense aliveness, an experience of inner joy, a sense of vibrancy, a feeling of complete peace and harmony that is independent of circumstance or seemingly external experience.

This does not require us to do much. In fact, this isn’t at all about “doing.” This is about being. This is about being open and receptive. And as you invite this feeling of peace into your life by simply just practicing sitting in silence at least twice a day, Spirit will begin to reveal Itself to you in wondrous and miraculous ways. It is in Its nature. This is because Spirit is available to everyone, and It will reveal Itself to anyone who is open and receptive. In truth, It is not separate from you at all. In truth, It is your very own Being, your deepest essence, your True Self.

We begin by opening the door through willingness. We then cultivate our awareness through a regular spiritual practice, which in turn raises our level of consciousness. And eventually grace kicks in, and suddenly we find ourselves experiencing the indescribable feeling of Pure Being. This powerful feeling, as it continuously grows in intensity, soon becomes more real to us than the world our physical senses perceive. We are now catching a glimpse of Reality with a capital “R.” That is where we experience True Vision.

True Vision is what allows us to see the invisible and hear the inaudible. And once we begin to live, move, and have our being in this awareness, our life will never again be the same.

What a wondrous journey it is. It is a journey that, sooner or later, we’re all destined to take, simply because it is the very journey we have set out to embark on when we were born into this realm of time and space. So why not allow yourself to embark upon this journey right here and right now? It is nothing less than your Soul’s Journey.

Peace and Blessings!

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Meditative Thought: A Peaceful, Kind, and Just Global Society

The world does not need a new belief system. The world does not need more doctrines, rules, and ideologies. What the world needs is for individuals to wake up to their True Nature.

This True Nature is not found within the confines of beliefs, so we must be mindful to transcend mere belief systems, and instead to enter into the realm of experience.

It is only in the realm of experience that transformation can occur. It is only in the realm of experience that we are able to move away from having a mere intellectual understanding of our oneness with All That Is, and instead cultivate a very real and powerful sense of this oneness.

Once we have the experience belief is no longer necessary.

Once we have the experience, letting go of fear based judgments becomes natural and easy – we find within ourselves a deep well of compassion. When we look into the eyes of another, we see our own Self looking back at us.

We begin to realize that we are all here for the same reason: to become more, and never less, of our True Selves.

Enlightened individuals create enlightened societies.

Enlightened societies create enlightened nations.

Enlightened nations create an enlightened world.

An enlightened world demonstrates a peaceful, kind, and just global society.

Every single one of us has a role to play in this sweet unfolding, simply because this vision begins with every individual. So let us be mindful today, and let us be the very change we want to see in the world.

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Meditative Thought: Trust

Trust is a high form of appreciation.

When we learn to trust in the Divine Life Principle, no matter what is happening on the surface level of our lives, we are declaring that we know that, in the Mind of God, all things are always well.

This sense of all being well allows us to be in a state of constant appreciation, regardless of what seems to be going on in the so-called external.

This high level of appreciation is the essence of trust.

And that is because rather than relying on our physical senses, we have learned to perceive with the Inner Eye. We have cultivated True Vision. We have learned to listen to that soft and sweet voice emanating from the core of our being. The voice of intuition.

When we are in touch with intuition, we begin to catch glimpses of the divine order that is always present. And rather than feeling that we must control every situation, we learn to relax. We can simply let go and to let God.

There is a refreshing lightness, a sense of ease and grace that accompanies all that we do. We have become impervious to the drama that is being played out on the surface level, and we have instead made ourselves available to what is seeking to emerge in us, through us, and as us.

So let us make it a habit to contemplate the always present divine order, regardless of how things may appear to the surface mind. And let us learn expect that everything that comes to us will not only be for our own individual good, but for the highest good of everyone involved.

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Meditative Thought: Surrendering to the Unfolding

There is a creative impulse that is always at work in the Universe.

This creative impulse transforms acorns into oak trees and cocoons into butterflies; it keeps all of the planets spinning in perfect orbit around the sun; and it is beating our hearts right at this very moment.

Everything in nature follows this impulse, which is always seeking to express and reveal more of itself.

Yet as beings of self-reflective awareness we are rather unique. And that is because self-reflective awareness means that we have the ability to choose.

We may choose to be in alignment with this impulse, or we may choose to resist it by vigorously holding on to limiting thoughts of fear, doubt, and worry.

We resist the creative impulse when we wonder whether a dream that we have falls into our surface mind’s narrow perception of what it has labeled “possible.”

The reality, however, is that our dreams and desires are how this creative impulse is seeking to express and reveal itself in our lives. And so what’s required on our part is that we surrender to this impulse.

As we surrender, we must learn to listen with the inner ear, so we may catch the new insights and creative ideas that will invariably come to us. We must be alert, so as to not overlook them or have our surface mind trick us into dismissing them.

Finally, once these ideas and insights come, we must act on them.

That is how we surrender to the Great Unfolding. And that is how we transform our lives into that sweet and joyous adventure that they are meant to be.

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Meditative Thought: Sacred Service

A sign that we are maturing on the spiritual path is when we begin to release our acquisitive nature – the part of us that is always seeking to get something – and instead commit to being of service.

Rather than going out into the world, believing that the world somehow holds our happiness, we instead have a very real and powerful sense that our happiness comes from within. It emanates from the core of our very Self.

And it is with this awareness that we are overcome with a palpable lightness of being, where every instant becomes a celebration, and everything we do we do with a glad heart.

Rather than asking, “How can I get what I think I need in order to be happy or survive?”, we instead approach every moment, every situation, every interaction with the question: “How may I be of service? How may I bring value? How may I be a blessing?”

We have realized that we are not here to try and get more stuff. Instead, we know that we already have it all, and it is our joyous task to simply demonstrate this truth in our experience.

We are here to freely share all of our gifts, skills, and talents; to freely shine our light, sing our song, and dance our dance.

And when we do this – which is seeking first the Kingdom of God, the Realm of the ever-expanding Good – we soon find that everything we thought we needed to chase after comes bursting into our experience.

Our lives are filled with riches and blessings beyond our wildest imagination simply because we are the blessing. And Life will always reflect back to us exactly what we are.

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Personal Message from me, Weekly Recap, Recommended Links, and Affirmations

Hi, everyone!

I’d like to take this moment to thank you for checking out Awakened Life Now. Your presence here is greatly, greatly appreciated! Whether this is your first time visiting the site or if you’ve become a regular or semi-regular reader, thank you, thank you, thank you for being here!

And as you’re reading these words, allow yourself to just be aware that, if the content on this site registers with you even in the slightest way, if it speaks to something within you, that is a sign that you are evolving. You are on the path towards embodying a higher state of awareness. You are on the path towards becoming the next greatest version of yourself. You are on the path of creating the conditions within your own consciousness that will allow the desires of your heart to flow into your experience.

You are on the path towards embodying a state of awareness that acknowledges that you are, indeed, a limitless being and a journey of joyous unfolding — always becoming more, and never less, of your True Self.

Just allow yourself to feel really good about that right now! :)

Now, it goes without saying that Awakened Life Now is still a very new site, and so it is still very much in the process of finding its rhythm. You will find an updated Purpose Statement on the About Page. The vision behind ALN is that we will begin to attract more and more readers across the globe that resonate with the healing, inspiring, and empowering message that is being put forth here.

We are living in profound times. There’s no denying that there’s some changes happening all over the planet. Yet these changes aren’t anything to be afraid of, for they are nothing less than the birthing of a new earth. The old structures of scarcity, limitation, and not-enoughness are beginning to fall apart (they never really worked in the first place), and more and more of us are beginning to awaken to a greater sense of our Oneness with All Life, our Oneness with All That Is.

Now, what I’m getting at here is… we are seeking to create a community here! A community of like-minded individuals committed to the path of transformation.

So I would love to hear from you. If you have any suggestions, recommendations, or questions; or if you simply want to connect, feel free to add your comments to the articles on here. As I said, I would love to hear from you, and perhaps some of you would love to hear from each other. So let’s see if we can get some connections going here.

And if you like what you’ve seen on this site so far, please recommend it to anyone you think may also resonate with it. Let’s spread the word. There’s individuals out there who need to hear what is being said here. So let us be the messengers of the good news!

Now, as new content is being added pretty much on a daily basis now, I will be posting these weekly recaps, along with some affirmations as well as recommended links to other websites and blogs that may resonate with you.

So if you don’t get a chance to visit the site on a daily basis throughout the week, or if you’d like to revisit an entry that has particularly resonated with you, on every Sunday, beginning today, you will be able to find links to all of the previous week’s content right here.

It is the profound desire of my heart that you find these articles, meditative thoughts, and affirmations to be beneficial to the continuing unfolding of your Soul.

Much Love, Peace, and Blessings,

Alex

 

LAST WEEK’S BLOG POSTS

Meditative Thought: Our True Nature

Meditative Thought: Jubilant Souls

Meditative Thought: The Sacredness of All Life

Meditative Thought: The Highest Form of Gratitude

Meditative Thought: Willingness

From Blind Sight to True Vision

Dare to have a Vision, Part 3 – The Field is Guiding You: 5 Keys For Moving Towards Your Dreams



RECOMMENDED LINKS


Agape International Spiritual Center Live Streaming


Recommended Blog: The Mystery of Christ


Spiritual Enlightenment Now – A Comprehensive Guide


Recommended Blog: Aspire. Motivate. Succeed!


Evolving Beings – Consciousness Expansion and Heart-Centered Living


AFFIRMATIONS 


In every moment of every day I walk in an awareness of my True Nature, which is one of greatness, limitless possibility, and endless joyous expansion.


I am aware that the Great God of the Universe is my Source, and that I live, move, and have my being in a Field of Infinite and Overflowing Good.


Everywhere I go I freely shine the light of my awareness; I am a dispenser of Divine Blessings.


I am deeply thankful for all that I have, for all that I am, and for all that I’m in the process of becoming.


Each and every day, in every way, I give thanks for the boundless good that is flowing into my life. My life is very good, indeed.


And so I let it be. And so it is. Amen.

			

	
	



				
					



	
	


		
					

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Dare to have a Vision, Part 3 – The Field is Guiding You: 5 Keys For Moving Towards Your Dreams

	


		

		
In Parts One and Two of this series respectively, we have looked deeply into where do our dreams come from, and we have also examined where do we come from, and how do we fit into the grander scheme of things. We had reminded ourselves that everything in the Universe is energy, and we had brought back to our attention that all of it originates within a vibrant Field of energy which science has called the Unified Field. And so we have allowed ourselves to recall that it is within this Field that we live, move, and have our being. And furthermore, that we are, in fact, intimately connected to this Field. That there is no place where this Field ends and we begin.


All of this is what we might consider a scientific way of describing God. Because as we mature spiritually, we begin to realize that God is not some external deity that we must beseech to give us what we think we need to be happy or to survive. But much rather do we begin to realize that God is the center of our very being.


And as such, it becomes apparent that all has already been given to us. We already have the keys of the kingdom. So rather than us trying to get something from the seemingly external, our task becomes to realize that all that we could ever want, hope for, or desire, we already have; and it is up to us to create the conditions within our own consciousness that will allow our physical experience to become the living demonstration of this truth.


Friends, this is what living the Awakened Life is!


Living the Awakened Life is moving beyond the superstition of materialism, and instead cultivating a very real and powerful sense of our true nature as Spiritual Beings on an eternal journey of joyous unfolding.


Oh yes, Life is very good, indeed!


All that we could ever want, hope for, or desire, we already have; and it is up to us to create the conditions within our own consciousness that will allow our physical experience to become the living demonstration of this truth.


Now, with this awareness, are you ready to examine a bit further the practicality of matters? I thought you might be. So then let’s take a look at…


5 Keys For Moving Towards Your Dreams




Key #1


Ask for Guidance


You may find this first key especially useful if you’re reading this and you’re not quite sure what your vision is. Perhaps it’s been a long time since you’ve allowed yourself to even consider having a dream. Well, something within you is saying, “It’s time to get back on with it. It’s time to get back to the dream.”


Simply find a quiet place where you will be able to sit uninterrupted. Then, become still. Allow yourself to get centered so you may get in touch with the core of your being, your I Am Presence. Enter into your Soul Space.


Once you have accessed that level of your awareness – which is simply a matter of turning your attention away from the seemingly external towards the interiority of your being – you may then ask any question you seek to know the answer to. Perhaps you may want to ask, “What’s the purpose of my current incarnation? What am I to do with this lifetime? What is seeking to emerge in me, through me, as my very life? What are the dreams that are in my heart?”


And then, be on the lookout for the answer. The answer may come in the form of a sudden insight, an intuitive sense. Or perhaps it will appear in the form of a billboard, or you’ll hear it in the chance utterance of a friend or a so-called stranger. Do not try to rush the answer. Be patient. Know that it’s coming. And begin to feel that, whatever the answer is going to be, it’s going to be good!


If you are already on track with your dreams, you may want to use this process to inquire about the next step of your unfolding, or anything else that’s going on in your life about which you’re seeking a higher perspective.


 


Key #2


Pay Attention To The Answer


After you have asked for guidance, you will want to raise your level of alertness so as to not miss the signs that the Universe will be bringing into your experience. More often than not, the answers may be subtle, and they may require our alert receptivity in order for us to notice them.


I love how Carl Jung described synchronicity as, ”…the coming together of inner and outer events in a way that cannot be explained by cause and effect and that is meaningful to the observer.”


So let us seek to pay attention whenever we have those experiences of inner and outer events coming together in a way that is meaningful to us. When this happens, let us be aware that someone’s trying to tell us something. And let’s be sure we listen.


 


Key #3


Act On Your Hunches


The answers may come in the form of hunches and impulses that are emanating from our intuition. Regardless of how they come, the answers will not always make sense to our rational mind. The ego, in its well-meaning yet misguided way, may advise us to not pay attention to mere hunches and to instead focus our time on what it has labeled as “more pressing matters.”


We cannot serve two masters. We cannot follow our Divine Destiny and expect to get there by the means and the clever scheming of our ego. Ego invariably comes from a limited perspective, whereas our Inner Voice is the part of us that is plugged into Spirit. And Spirit has got the whole picture! Spirit is saying, “Follow me! Trust me! I’ll get you there! Come on!”


 


Key #4


Commit To Excellence No Matter Where You Are


The “no matter where you are” part is really what we’re focused on here. Sometimes we may have big dreams and we may be committed to giving them all we’ve got, yet we may be working at a day job to temporarily supply our funding. We may be tempted to think that our day job is less important and therefore does not require that we demonstrate the excellence that is actually inherent within our very being.


Do not be fooled! Decide that you’re going to commit to excellence no matter where you are! It doesn’t matter what the job is, make a commitment to give it your all. Don’t hesitate to show up early and to stay late. Always be willing to do more than what’s expected, and do it gladly, joyfully, with a sincere heart. It is the energy that results from the demonstration of that level of excellence that will catapult us into the next stage of our unfolding.




 


Key #5


Cultivate An Unshakable Spiritual Trust


Let’s remember to simply trust our Source. We live, move, and have our being in God. So when, in the mere outer, it appears as if something’s not working out, if it feels like we’ve hit a dead end, or if we think we’re going in circles and everything is falling apart, that’s simply a sign that it’s time to release and let go.


Not let go of the dream. Not let go of the vision. But to let go of how we think it “should” be happening.


You may recall, I said in Part One that “how” is not our business. So let’s learn to let go and let God. Remember that, no matter what the vision, in the mind of God it’s already done. So if the path towards the dream is turning out a little different from what we expected, let us seek to realize that it’s all perfect.


All of us are exactly where we need to be, right now at this very moment, in order for us to learn, to grow, to evolve, and to become who we will need to be in order to fulfill our destiny.


    

  • Embodiment
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The following affirmative treatment, repeated with conviction on a regular basis, will anchor these new heart and mind sets in your awareness. You may want to change the wording in any way that feels natural to you. The exact words do not matter. What matters is feeling the powerful energy behind them!


I give thanks for the insights that are taking root in my awareness. I give thanks for the guidance I have received, and I am open and receptive to all the signs and all the clues that my beloved Source is seeking to bring into my experience. I give thanks that I am cultivating an unshakable spiritual trust. I KNOW that I live, move, and have my being in a field of Infinite Possibilities, and it is with this awareness that any old thoughts of fear, doubt, and worry; any thoughts of lack, limitation and scarcity, are being dissolved, for they can no longer live in the higher vibration of my being. I commit to excellence in all areas of my life. I commit to being the very best me I can be. I commit to activating my full potential. For this and so much more I give eternal thanks, and I allow it to be. Thankfully and joyously. And so it is. Amen




Much Love and Blessings to you!

			

	
	



				
					



	
	


		
					

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Meditative Thought: Willingness

	


		

		
The Divine Life Principle is forever expressing and revealing Itself all throughout the Cosmos. Its nature is to always expand and demonstrate more of Its beauty.


We may see this Principle unfolding when we take the time to pause and look at a beautiful rose. We may see It when we watch a beautiful sunset.


We may see It when we look into the eyes of a beloved. Or into the eyes of any fellow traveler on this grand adventure called Life.


It is seeking to express and reveal Itself in new and wondrous ways through every single one of us. Yet we have been given the gift of free will, which means that our willingness is required.


We must be willing to go with the stream of Life, to allow Its rivers to gently guide us to our destiny. Or we may get caught in some resistance pattern made up of conditioned thought forms revolving around fear, scarcity, lack, and limitation.


The spiritual journey is always one of moving away from fear towards a fuller embodiment of Love.


As such it serves us well to sit every day to consciously release any and all patterns of limitation, and to then surrender to that which is seeking to emerge in, through, and as us.


So right now, at this very moment, pause for a few seconds, and allow yourself to declare your sacred and joyous “Yes!”


You are saying to the Universe that you are willing to activate your fullest potential. You are willing to become more fully yourself. You are willing to let your life blossom into the wondrous work of art that it is meant to be.


Allow yourself to make this part of your daily practice.


You will be glad you did.

			

	
	



				
					



	
	


		
					

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Meditative Thought: The Highest Form of Gratitude

	


		

		
Two of the most powerful words that we can ever think, say, or embody, are: “Thank you.”


Whenever we are thankful, whenever we feel appreciation for something or for someone, we are actually creating a powerful vibratory field that will allow more things for which we may be thankful to flow into our experience.


Gratitude is an affirmative mental approach to Life. We shall make it a habit to say, “Thank you,” and we shall make it a habit to say it often. We have been given the keys of the kingdom, and we shall enter its gates with praise and thanksgiving.


So let us become joyous appreciators, always on the lookout for good. Always anticipating more to appreciate. Always ready to sing a song of praise, for we know that Life is good, and all is God.


And the highest form of gratitude is simply being thankful, not for anything in particular, but much rather for the gift of Life Itself.


When we can be thankful simply for the fact that we exist, when we can appreciate nothing other than that we are here, that the Divine Life Principle is powerfully flowing through every fiber of our Being, that’s when we will have entered the highest form of ecstatic appreciation.


So, my friends, be of good cheer. For you have been given the grandest gift of them all. The gift of Life Forevermore. And Life Forevermore is always seeking to express and reveal Its grandeur through you.


And how sweet the taste of that is!