Little Messages in Little Frames – A Spiritual Story by Harry Valentine

The story begins in the 25-cent room that is only open on Friday afternoons at a second hand store. A plastic bag of tiny picture frames sold for 25-cents and those little frames that were to influence the lives of a small group of people who were involved in various forms of self-discovery, healing and spiritual growth. There were numerous positive influences in their lives including the teachings of several of the world's great religions. One of the common threads in all religious and theological texts is to ask for the spiritual gifts and it shall be given.

Developmental psychologists tell us to focus our minds on what we want, not on what we don't want. Many a pastor, priest and cleric has admonished members of their congregations who prayed very negative prayers such as I'm not at this, or I'll never be able to do that, said with great conviction and faith. Even atheists say such prayers with the same intensity of belief and the devoutly religious – – – and they get answers for their prayers, a form of self-fulfilling prophecy.

To counter the unintentional negativity, one of the group members wrote messages on pieces of paper and inserted them into the little picture frames. One of the messages read, I AM MORE THAN MY PROBLEM which of us was asked to place in a prominent location where we were sure to see it, like when we got out of bed first thing in the morning. Some members wrote duplicate copies of the little message that they placed in their workspaces, above the toilet rolls in the bathrooms, at their computers, in their kitchens near their stoves, at their dinner tables and at numerous other locations.

Over time, the little messages seem to have had a calming effect on group members even though the messages only appeared in their peripheral vision. Two messages in a subsequent little frame read, I WANT PEACE OF MIND and I WANT STRENGTH OF CHARACTER. Several group members complained of discomfort at seeing these messages. Even seeing these little messages in their peripheral vision caused them to experience tingling sensations in their brains. The messages were then changed to, I WANT TO ACQUIRE PEACE OF MIND and I WANT TO ACHIEVE STRENGTH OF CHARACTER in 2-separate little frames to alleviate their discomfort.

One member of the group became overwhelmed upon being told that she had to give a short speech to an assembly of co-workers. After a short brain-storming session the group provided her with a little frame that carried the message, I WANT COURAGE AND INNER STRENGTH TO SPEAK TO A LARGE GROUP and several duplicate copies to place around her home and workspace. She later reported that the continual sight of the little message in her peripheral vision somehow seemed to minimize the fear that had taken hold of her.

Several group members had been laid off from their jobs due to the ongoing economic downturn and had to initiate new job searches in a tough economy. One job finding counselor warned that they would repeatedly experience rejection on their job search. Fellow group members provided some little picture frames that carried the message, I WANT COURAGE AND INNER STRENGTH TO PERSIST THROUGH SETBACKS IN THE JOB SEARCH as well as several duplicate copies to place around their homes. A second set of little frames carried the message, I WANT RESOURCEFULNESS TO OVERCOME OBSTACLES IN MY LIFE.

The ongoing sight of the little picture frames and the messages they carry, even in a few people's peripheral vision have so far seemed to have a positive effect on them. Group members who had atheist leanings and who were willing to display the little picture frames rationalized that the positive effect having something to do with some aspect of developmental psychology. The rational behind the little messages in the little frames is based on several clerics' interpretations of passages taken from the ancient texts of several of the world's great religions.

Harry Valentine writes and publishes on a range of issues. He may reached at harrycv@hotmail.com