A very good friend of mine once said that “death creates awareness”. I find myself really understanding what she meant as I mourn the loss of a very dear friend whose life tragically ended not quite 2 weeks ago. Michael Kendall was a friend to many, a teacher, a messenger of truth and most importantly a student.
We are all students in the scheme of life, but what made Michael stand out was that he tried to help others learn from his past mistakes. Michael was the co-author of a fantastic book called “A Truthful Opportunity”. In his book he bared his soul and became absolutely transparent in relating his life’s mistakes and how they transformed him into the person that he was before he passed. His message was truth. His message was speak your truth and you will be set free. No more hiding behind one’s fears and perceived inabilities through lies. They just create more of the same until you absolutely forget who you are and what you are here to do.
I would like to include an excerpt from Michael’s book “A Truthful Opportunity” as a tribute to a wonderful person who left many friends behind as well as to share his wisdom that came from many dark days early on in his life that made him into the transparent, loving person that we all cared very deeply for.
“Pain directs us to the truth when we are disconnected. Pain is only necessary for those who choose not to see or hear what God has given them. This is why not everyone encounters the same amount of pain in life. Some only need to be gently nudged in order to walk through the door where awareness and light exist on the other side. Others will not move, so the pain becomes greater in order to push them through the door. Pain appears when we have placed ourselves so far in the darkness that we can’t see and we use it to light the way. The longer you stand in the darkness, the greater the pain. My pain pushed me into the light. I connected to the truth of the seen and unseen world around me, finding my place in it.
Pain is a tool. It’s one of the many that we have available to us. Throughout my life, my pain had nudged me forward many times, but more often than not I had chosen to deny it. Before, I had always chosen to keep my fear of looking at my pain in the back of my closet. Knowing that I could retreat into my closet, away from this light, offered an inept solace. Now, the truth and all it represented radiated a loving light that encompassed me in an incredible powerful way. I wasn’t accustomed to feeling connected to my pain. It’s power was unmistakable. Sometimes, when I stepped out of the darkness into the bright light, my eyes hurt from the glare. I wanted to retreat. But when I looked more closely, I realized it was the light that I needed and the darkness I feared. Now I knew I had to go further. If I didn’t do this, I would continue to find ways to disconnect in order to deny my pain, instead of progressing along the new path I had begun. Live long enough in a frame of mind and it becomes a reality.”
-Peace to you Michael.
You can learn more about Michael Kendall at www.kendalleverett.com
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