In October 1989, the San Francisco Earthquake let us know, once again, that Mother Nature rules supreme on this planet despite our best efforts and the complacency of Mankind. Hurricane Hugo, the previous summer, also reminded us that nothing is forever in this physical existence. Usually these natural disasters occur in some third world country. By occurring here in America it brought home to us just how fragile our hold on this planet really is. (This happened just as Communism was falling across Eastern Europe. All of these things were a tremendous release of pent up energy.)

When it happens so close to home, it makes us think about those things which are most important to us. We see the outpouring of assistance from friends, neighbors and even strangers and our hearts are warmed. It makes us remember that what matters is that we have friends; that we help one another; that we not be concerned with our own troubles; and our connection with Spirit, however that manifests for us. It is in our sense and knowing of Spirit, that which we truly are, that gives us our real permanence and security.

It is not that our sense of Spirit will give permanence to our physical existence, but rather that we know that what happens on this level really does not matter. What does is how we react to it. What is pertinent is that we have gone through this before in many other lives and we have come through unscathed. The permanence is in the perfection of our Spiritual Self, knowing that Spirit is our true Self and that the physical bodies are merely clothing we wear while we act out the drama of human existence.