Wisdom from Oscar

Words of Wisdom from Oscar

Hi Everyone,

Our blessings take many forms, of course. Some are material possessions and some are expressions of love. Others, however, come in the form of Wisdom ... out of the blue ... when you least expect them. The Wisdom that Oscar gave me in the summer of 1954 was like that. Although I didn't recognize it at the time, Oscar's profound words helped shaped my life. This is my "Thank You" to him.

It is also my gift to you.

I was 14 years old that summer and could frequently be found on hot afternoons practicing baseball with a handful of my buddies. At each practice we spent 4 or 5 tireless hours honing our skills at pitching, batting and infield play. We must have made quite a spectacle because passers by would often stop awhile just to watch us play.

Oscar was our most frequent spectator. Unlike the others, he would sit under a tree and stay for hours. He was about 50, simply dressed and soft spoken. He wore no jewelry, not even a watch, and rode to and from our practices on a bicycle. There were no signs of affluence, achievement, success or anything else that my American conditioning held in high esteem. He wasn't athletic or good looking either. Nor did he appear to have any special talent. But he fascinated us no end because of his way of being in the world. His deep level of personal peace was unmistakable and set him apart from anyone we knew. It gave him a sort of magnetic charm.

In time, we became friends with Oscar and, after practice, we would sometimes gather around him for a chat. He was a philosopher and displayed a gentle, persuasive form of Wisdom on every subject imaginable--from baseball to politics to war. He had insights on just about everything. Sometimes our conversations lasted over 2 hours.

We thought he was the wisest man on earth, There was a gentle power within him that seemed to insulate him from the uncertainties of this world. Even at my young age I recognized the impossibility of anger or frustration ever touching him. Was I looking into the Tranquil Eyes of God? Well, maybe, but that didn't occur to me at the time.

One day one of my buddies asked Oscar....

How do we become wealthy?

Ahhh, the big question. Our antennas stood at attention. We were soon to be old enough to drive cars, date girls and enter the world of money. And Oscar was about to show us the way. He said....

There are two ways to become wealthy. One is to do what many of your parents do. That is, work long hours, save money, learn how to invest, take risks and hopefully have enough money to buy everything in sight!

AMEN, I thought. Buy everything in sight! Those are the right words. Way to go Oscar. Oscar for President. But what was the second way? Oscar continued....

The other way is to not need anything.

A pause punctuated the moment, during which I thought, "Absurd!! What kind of wisdom is THAT?" After a while I asked Oscar in a defiant tone, "How am I going to impress the girls, have nice clothes and drive a spiffy car if I choose to 'not need anything'?" The following is his response, to the best of my recollection.

I understand your resistance, but don't take it too literally. It's an idea...a perspective...another way to look at what wealth really means. Of course we need some things while we are here in this world. Food and clothing are examples. But we only need simple foods and simple clothing. If our needs rise to include lobster and three-piece suits then we must earn extra money to pay for these extra needs. If our "needs" continue to escalate to fancier homes, expensive cars and beyond we must earn more still.

Earning lots of money is fine. It is the first option I mentioned. But it usually takes time and stress to accumulate it. Some enjoy the process. Hooray for them. They have the opportunity to be philanthropists in this world. Others don't enjoy it and thus the time and stress involved intrude on their freedom. How about your parents and other adults you know? How free are they?

Although I wasn't convinced, I did recognize my father's ulcers that came from "pressure at work." Also, some of my friends didn't see their parents as often as they might like. But those were someone else's experiences. They didn't have anything to do with me. Or so I thought. Oscar continued...

One thing you will find as you grow older is that an unwritten goal most people have is to achieve an inner personal peace. They want to enjoy the world and their children. They want to relax and "smell the roses." They think lots of money will provide all that and so they strive to "get ahead". In the process they walk the path of stress, anger and frustration...all in the name of peace. It's silly when you think about it. But that's what most people do.

You guys are young .... just starting. Perhaps you will ignore the "don't need anything" option and become wealthy using the "buy everything in sight" option. Your choice, of course. Probably, however, you will adopt a little of both options, although you may not realize you are doing it until much later in life.

Obviously, I listened to Oscar or I wouldn't be recalling all those details (it was almost 50 years ago). But for the short run I dismissed this dubious bit of "Wisdom" and set out in life to do the "money thing." I stubbed my toe a lot and made some bad mistakes. But I learned a lot, had some fun and successes along the way and, indeed, traded at least some of my peace for a pile of dollars. Like Oscar said, I was seeking peace in the form of money and traded some of my peace to get it.

The business world is a great teacher, if you are listening. It echoes Oscar's wisdom but only if you are receptive to its message. Most businesses are run for the sole purpose of garnering profits. It's an "I'll get mine" kind of game. However, there's a much more powerful/peaceful/profitable way to do it. Properly done, it generates peace, rather than takes it. Fortunately, as the years went by, I finally got this message.

EFT stands as a model for how this is done and Oscar's wisdom is its centerpiece. The purpose of EFT is not to maximize profits. It is to maximize the use of its healing procedures. Peace, for me, is no longer involved with piling up profits. Rather, it is to listen to the symphony of healing as EFT evolves throughout the world.

You are members of that symphony. You are the violins, pianos and harps that are harmoniously applying these procedures to yourselves, friends and clients. The result is healing music. Do you hear it too?

We are doing this together. I've accepted the role of symphony conductor but it is you who are making the music. We "don't need anything" but each other to pull this off.

Oscar's wisdom has finally landed with me and has benefited not only me but also many others in increasing waves. I give my "Thank You" for his peaceful presence and his powerful message in 1954.

And I send my love to you.

Hugs, Gary

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