A Lesson at age 12: "You are better than that"

I played football on my grade school football team. I really wasn't very good. I didn't understand the game except for the most basic aspects of it. I did apply myself and I did try to put forth an honest effort... most of the time. One day, I did something or failed to do something that I should have done..I really don't remember, but the coach said something to me that I have remembered now for fifty-five years. I believe what he said was the ultimate discipline/wake-up call that can be put into words. I also believe it is what the Ascended Masters have been trying to get through my outer mind over all these years as well. What did he say?  It was just the simple truth, "Son, you are better than that!"...The Masters might say, "Son, you are more than this.".


I have never heard a more positive but direct, firm and effective correction in my life. In my early days, parents and teachers were kind of rough and kind of negative -- focusing on that which was done wrong, there was absolutely no concern for self-esteem. In modern times there has been a shift to perhaps such extreme concern for self-esteem that teaching and correction are sacrificed as a result. But what if all parents and teachers and people in authority used that same admonishment, "You are better than that.", when they see they see a child acting out or taking the easy way out and shirking responsibilities.

Could there be a more positive and truthful way, of awakening someone and shaking them out of the illusion that the acting out or the shirking of responsibility is really who they are?

This  event happened when I was 12. Now as I am writing this, I am 70, so that was 58 year ago. I confess that I remember very, very few events that occurred when I was 12. Why would this one stick? Well, I believe it stuck because it reminded me of something that at inner levels, I already knew. The incident simply just reminded me of it. It was the fact that I am not just a limited human being but I am always capable of more. No matter what I am and what I do at my current level of consciousness, I always have the potential to be more. I always have the potential to transcend my current level of consciousness.

Can you see what a big deal this revelation, this insight was even though I didn't fully realize it at the time.  If I lose my temper and act out rage for example, the collective consciousness and modern society will say, "Well after your only human". But that path obviously leads to stagnation, still-stand, what Jesus called spiritual "death".

Imagine lives live by two individuals. One accepts the identity as being limited, "only human" -- a sinner, born into sin and destined to sin, powerless to control the self in the midst of negative circumstances. The other accepts the identity of a spiritual being, that while currently limited and subject to mistakes and reacting to outer circumstances can always step outside of their current view of self and world view and choose to respond positively to the assertion, "Son, you are better than that". Which life would you suppose would be characterized by love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, gentleness and self-control -- the "fruit of the spirit"? So the first person would live a life of limitation because they so no reason to strive  to be more. They would be inlined to be bitter, resentful and possibly see themselves as victims with no control over their minds or circumstances.

You can find an interesting interview with Mary Jo Rapini on YouTube. Mary Jo had a near death experience. She describes in vivid detail meeting with Jesus in heaven. But Jesus told her she had to go back. She argued with Jesus, listing all of the selfless service she had provided to people over the years. Jesus said, yes, but have you ever loved as you are loved here? Mary Jo said, well no but "I'm ONLY HUMAN". Jesus responded with, "You can do better." Pretty darn close to my lesson of 58 years ago, "Son, your're better than that".