While skimming an interview of Reese Witherspoon written up in Parade magazine last Sunday, a quote of Reese’s caught my eye.

She said, “I don’t have time for hate or negativity in my life. There’s no room for it.”

I have always thought of Witherspoon as an upbeat positive woman with a smile on her face and delight in her attitude. If she refuses to engage with hate, as she claims, that may be part of the reason why.

It’s a powerful reminder to all of us. None of us should have room for hate or negativity in our lives. It’s not normal. Joy, gratitude and delight are the acceptable standard.

Many people grow up believing it’s normal to harbor ill-will, resentment and complaint on a regular basis. They go through their days feeling an underlying pull of negativity that puts a scowl on their face, an edge in their voice, and casts an aura about them of “I’m hard to deal with.” This ought not to be.

It’s not normal to feel spite and heaviness. It’s normal to feel good, upbeat and positive. Many people have demonstrated this, and enjoy life because of it.

God created us with a demeanor toward love, goodwill and generosity. It’s natural for us, as children of God, to be entertaining thoughts of charity, positive outlook, and expectancy of good. We should not accept anything less.

The Mind of God, the one Mind, the only true Mind, is a Mind of pure goodness, love and kindness.

It takes work and practice to demonstrate a Mind of joy and uplift for mortal mind seems to work overtime to push anger and irritation into our mental homes. But like keeping our physical house free of unwanted solicitors knocking at our front door, we can shut our mental home to negative impressions too by thinking on the joys of love. It’s a choice we make.

None of us have room for negativity or hate in our lives. They are not a part of life. They are enemies to peace, foreigners, not to be allowed entry.

Thanks Reese for reminding us…