Remember, My Child

(I wrote this last year for my son, Aaron, when he was going through some difficult times. However, I think anyone can find a few spiritual lessons upon reading it.
                                                                                    ~S.A.S.~)


I wished for you, my child
From the day that you first smiled
That I could share all the knowledge
One can’t learn in college.

But just as you couldn’t know about fire
Like all of the knowledge you will acquire
It’s not a toy or game
You have to feel the heat of the flame.

Lessons don’t come easy
And you can’t learn them just to please me
No, lessons don’t come easy
It can bring you down, you see.

If I try to teach you from the heart
This is the one place that I’d first start
Nothing lasts forever
Even if you think you’re clever.

No matter how bad it sometimes seems
Still always follow your dreams
Because everything happens for a reason
Each life’s lesson has its season.
The older you grow
The faster the days go
Years fly by, nothing stands still
So cherish each and every thrill.

Energy is a part of our being
Don’t waste yours on the wrong thing
It’s all about how you look at each day
That will set the stage for the play,

Positive thoughts bring positive scenes
Negativity leads to the end of your dreams
Wake up each day with the light in mind
It can keep you from living your life so blind.

But remember, my child, lessons don’t come easy
And you can’t learn them just to please me
I just wish that you could somehow miss
At least some of the pain, so remember this ...

Love is the reason we’re all here
Let go of the terror, let go of the fear
And remember, my child, remember today
That the love of a parent can help light your way.


© 2009 Sheryl A. Skutelsky. All rights reserved.

Man's Plan

Ever hear that man makes a plan and sees God laugh
Ever wonder why if man can intercede on his own behalf?

When I was in my youth
Nothing seemed to make sense
Whether I told a lie or the truth
It seemed like plans unfolded at my expense.
The cost seemed too great
When I followed my own path
As I wondered if it was luck or fate
Being taught that it was the results of God’s awesome wrath.

Now several decades have passed by
And I’m starting to believe
That as time marches by
All our paths form a weave.

We can choose our reaction
Or follow our own passion
Looking for some satisfaction
In each and every action.
But if our heart is filled
With love and the desire to share
Our life’s dreams we can build
Without living filled with fear.

Yes, man makes his plans to win
And God answers with a knowing grin
Because first man must learn his lessons
And practice without obsession
To not make his mistakes twice
He must take the ancient sages’ advice.
Reaction is the key
To all of life’s trials and tests
Think before you do, look before you see
And try to live without regrets.

We’re not pieces on a chess board
Or actors in a play
Each scene moves us forward
So that we can envision
The proper decision
Where love will light the way.


© Sheryl Skutelsky, 2010. All rights reserved.

Addiction and Sprituality

With all the recent celebrity deaths in the media from overdoses of prescription drugs, one has to wonder what is missing in all these lives that open the door for such addictions.

Many years ago I did a paper that compared the Twelve Step Program of AA (or NA) to a religious code. The similarities were astonishing. One of the major steps for a recovering addict is to accept a power higher than themselves. Another is to make ammends with all those that the addict has hurt.

Spiritually speaking, what is missing in an addict's life is the ability to put the good of others before the selfish needs of self. In other words, if an addict could look to the Light of God for guidance, they would see the fulfillment that comes with doing things for the good of others rather than to satisfy their own ego.

Of course, this sounds simple, and we all know that it's not. However, just as most of the world's major religions teach, trusting God and treating others the way that we want to be treated is a great place for everyone  to start.

What about Ego?

Ancient mysticism teaches that the ego was given to mankind so that the soul could have a reason to move forward, making corrections through acting upon desires. You see, there is no growth without change, and there is no change without the desire to move. Spiritual growth cannot take place if our desires are based only on selfish needs of the ego. So, here is my dilemma ... If we do things to satisfy our desires, how can we control our ego which is the very thing that feeds our desire. How are we supposed to control our ego while we grow?

I've often noticed that celebrities thank God when they are awarded for their success. Perhaps this is a clue to my dilemma. We need to remember where our talents come from. Judaism teaches that we are on this earth for "Tikkun Olam," to heal the world. How better to heal the world than to accomplish the very things that God has given us the talent to share while remembering where that talent originated.

For instance, I could ask myself why I am writing this blog. Naturally, I want as many people as possible to read it, but why? Is it to share my knowledge to help others or is it to get the satisfaction in knowing that people want to read what I have written. If it's for both reasons, how can I control my egotistical desires? The key is that I should always remember that my ability to write is a God given talent, and therefore I should use it to share with others in a way that will help the world. In this way, I am using the benefits of my writing ability for the good of others rather than for my own selfish reasons.

I sincerely hope that your ego will lead you to the ability to share your God given talents with others. Remember to trust your conscience as a guide to right and wrong ... both in your personal and in your private relationships ... and you can't go wrong. As long as your heart is in the right place, you will be using your ego in a way that brings you closer to a spiritual life.

It’s all about the Energy

Have you ever thought about what our bodies are actually made of? If you have, then the idea that I’m about to put forth may be one that has already occurred to you, but perhaps you never thought about it in quite this way. A large percentage of the human body is water, and water is an excellent conductor of the electric impulses that run through our minds and nerves. In other words, our bodies are largely energy. Have you ever wondered why some of us start each day with a lot more energy than others?

So often we waste energy. Try to picture yourself holding all your energy in your hands. What is the best way to make use of it? If you think of it as something very valuable like money, you certainly won’t want to waste any of it. Yet, that’s what most of us do each day.

One of the greatest spiritual lessons found in almost all of the major religions is that we should put our trust in God. Ever wonder why? It’s all about the energy. If we begin with the basic premise that God is the source of all our energy, it then becomes clear that man’s freedom of choice is in his ability to choose what to do with this energy. Our thoughts are energy, and negative thoughts such as worrying, obsessing, stressing out … they all use an incredible amount of our energy. Does worrying change anything? Of course not, but most of us seem to do it none the less.

We have all experienced the fact that everything in life is sweeter when we can appreciate it and share it. Well, the same is true of God’s energy. So, the next time you are obsessing over plans gone awry or over reacting to a difficult situation, remember it is totally your choice as to whether or not you want to waste your most valuable resource. Let go of the worry and fear, and you’ll be amazed at how much energy you have left, and how much better you’ll feel about yourself.

The Greatest Lesson

If I were gone tomorrow
This one thing I’d want my kids to know
The greatest lesson is right before your eyes.
Live in the moment and leave the future for a surprise.
For no matter how much you plan and worry
Racing through each moment in such a hurry
You can’t change where you have been
And you can’t erase each and every wrong.


Remember always, you can’t see tomorrow
So you really can’t avoid the sorrow
But you can miss the joy of this time
While you are busy looking ahead or behind.
Let go of yesterday’s pain and especially the fear
Otherwise it all becomes more than you can bear.
Enjoy the many joyful times
And only come away with the lessons from the crimes.


Have hopes and dreams of course
But go with the flow, don’t force.
Like the limb bending in the breeze
If it were rigid, we’d have only broken trees.
The ship that rides gently in the ocean
Is the one that makes the most of the motion.
So, live fully and cherish each and every minute
Because it is only truly yours the second you are in it.


Yes, if I were gone tomorrow
My children, to avoid true sorrow
Stay in the moment instead of looking over your shoulder
Or before you know it you’ve done nothing but get older.
Experience each and every racing wave
Don’t miss a single ripple on your way to the grave.
And trust that the universe will be your guide
As long as love is along for the ride.



© Sheryl Skutelsky, 2010

Is This Reality?

Think about all the things beyond our senses

That we cannot perceive

Then think about the rules and fences

In which we all believe.



Is this life true reality

In all its totality

Or is it an illusion

Built upon confusion?



All of our brains are made the same

Built from cells and electricity

The essence of our name

So complex, yet simplicity



What do we find

In our minds

Are we blind

To all the signs



There are hidden frequencies in the air

That with the right mode of reception

We can suddenly see and hear

They are no longer a place of deception.



So, is there another reality out there?

One we can’t yet perceive

Beyond the death we fear

In the Light we receive



We all want to believe that we are living for a reason

Despite the things we can’t understand

From season to following season

Is everything already planned?



Are there lessons to be learned

Is there a plan to all the madness?

Are there new levels to be earned

That will make sense of all the sadness?



We only have our senses

We know of only five

But through all the past tenses

There seems to be a sixth sense coming alive



This new reality

Seems to be born of love

And it has no finality

As it opens up the gates above.



© Sheryl A. Skutelsky, 2010