I remember when I couldn’t sing very well at all. I still don’t sing very well, but I am much more brave. I lead people in song at the end of my workshops and support groups. Perhaps one day, I will take some lessons and learn; however, I haven’t gotten around to it yet.
At one event I began to lead everyone in song, and the man in charge of the sound system turned off my microphone. Joseph Vattimo, my assistant, said, “What are you doing?” The other man said, “She’s singing off key!” It was so terribly embarrassing. Now, it really doesn’t matter anymore. I just sing my heart out, and it seems to open up just a little bit more.
I’ve had some extraordinary experiences in my life, and the one that has opened my heart on a very deep level has been working with people with aids. I can hug people now who, three years ago, I couldn’t even look at. I’ve gone beyond a lot of my own personal limitations. In reward for that, I have found so much love—wherever I go, people give me tremendous amounts of love.
In October 1987, Joseph and I went to Washington, D.C., to march for governmental help for aids. I don’t know how many are aware of the aids quilt. It’s rather in credible. Many, many people from around the country got together and made quilt patches to commemorate someone who has died from aids. These patches are made with so much love and put together with patches from all over the world to make an enormous quilt.
When we were in Washington, the patches were put into sections and displayed between the Washington and Lincoln monuments. At six o’clock in the morning, we began to read the names of the people on the quilt. As we did, people would unfold the patch and put it in place next to the others. It was a very emotional time, as you can imagine. People were crying everywhere.
I was standing with my list, waiting to read, when I felt this tap on my shoulder. I could hear someone say, “Could I ask you a question, please?” I turned around, and the young man standing behind me looked at the badge with my name on it, and shouted, “Louise Hay! Oh my God,” and he went into absolute hysteria and flung himself in my arms. We held each other, and he just sobbed and sobbed. Finally, when he could contain himself, he told me that his lover had read my book many times, and when he was about to leave the planet, his lover asked him to read a treatment from my book. He read it slowly, as his lover read the lines with him. The very last words his lover said were, “All is well,” and he died.
So here I was, right in front of him. He was extremely touched. When he could compose himself enough, I said, “But what did you want to ask me?” It seemed that he had not been able to complete his lover’s patch on time, and he wanted me to add his lover’s name to my list. He just happened to pick me. I remember this moment very well, because it showed me that life is really simple and the things that are important are also simple.
I want to share a quote with you from Emmett Fox. If you don’t know Emmett Fox, he was a very popular teacher in the ’40s, ’50s, and early ’60s and one of the clearest teachers I know. He has written some beautiful books, and these are some of my favorite words of his:
“There is no difficulty that enough love will not conquer. There is no disease that enough love will not heal. No door that enough love will not open. No gulf that enough love will not bridge. No wall that enough love will not throw down. And no sin that enough love will not redeem. It makes no difference how deeply seated may be the trouble. How hopeless the outlook. How muddled the tangle. How great the mistake. A sufficient realization of love will dissolve it all And if you could love enough you would be the happiest and most powerful person in the world. “
It’s true, you know. It sounds wonderful and it is true. What do you need to do to get to that space where you could be the happiest and most powerful person in the world? I think inner space travel is just beginning. We are just beginning to learn about the Power that we have inside us. We’re not going to find it if we contract. The more we can open to ourselves, the more we are going to find the Universal energies available to assist us. There are incredible accomplishments that we are capable of.
Take a few breaths. Open your chest and give your heart room to expand. Keep practicing, and sooner or later the barriers will begin to drop. Today is your beginning point.
I love you,