Together, We Light the Way

Lesson 6 2026

I am upset because I see something that is not there.
1. The exercises with this idea are very similar to the preceding ones. ²Again, it is necessary to name both the form of upset (anger, fear, worry, depression and so on) and the perceived source very specifically for any application of the idea. ³For example:
⁴I am angry at _________ because I see something that is not there.
⁵I am worried about _________ because I see something that is not there.
2. Today’s idea is useful for application to anything that seems to upset you, and can profitably be used throughout the day for that purpose. ²However, the three or four practice periods which are required should be preceded by a minute or so of mind searching, as before, and the application of the idea to each upsetting thought uncovered in the search.
3. Again, if you resist applying the idea to some upsetting thoughts more than to others, remind yourself of the two cautions stated in the previous lesson:
²There are no small upsets. ³They are all equally disturbing to my peace of mind.
⁴And:
⁵I cannot keep this form of upset and let the others go. ⁶For the purposes of these exercises, then, I will regard them all as the same.
(ACIM, W-6.1:1–3:6)
2025
I had a moment of panic when I started my washing machine and it didn’t seem like water was flowing. I turned it off quickly in case my pipes froze last night. After the house warmed up sufficiently, I cautiously tried again and the water flowed freely. I seemed to have panicked because maybe a line had burst. But I panicked because I saw something that was not there.
I was feeling regret that I may have said something that hurt a friend’s feelings. But I was regretful because I saw something that was not there.
If I chose to see differently in all but these few situations, I would still not be free. To be free of illusions so that we can know Reality, we must let go of them all. Otherwise, we are still lost in our imagination.

2026
Yesterday, we learned that we are never upset for the reason we think, that there are no small upsets, and we cannot keep some and let the others go. Today we are learning that the reason we are never upset for the reason we think is that we see something that is not there.
If I apply today’s idea to my cat, I have been seeing an inconvenient and unwelcome responsibility. Yesterday, I followed the Holy Spirit’s guidance and brushed the excess hair from her. Then, when I settled down to watch TV for a little while, I let her climb up beside me. For a while, we just kept each other company. I began to enjoy the warmth of her body touching mine, and it felt soothing.
After a while, she got bored and started walking on me with her ten-pound body, which suddenly didn’t feel quite so acceptable, so she went back on the floor. There was not the annoyance I would have felt before. Baby steps. Now I simply wait for further instructions from the Holy Spirit.
That I experienced another way to see this relationship is just more proof of what I have come to know to be true: We are not upset by the situations but by our story about them. I changed my story a bit, and my experience changed to match the story. I remind myself of what the Holy Spirit told me yesterday. Love doesn’t make exceptions; it is universal.
I can’t pick and choose where love goes. Love does not demand that I accept everything my cat wants, but if I want love, I must stop trying to limit it. After all, I don’t like everything my children do, but I love them anyway. So, I know how to do this, but I just decided this didn’t apply to cats. I was wrong, and I am willing to see this differently. I wonder what will happen next in this new adventure into loving all?
So today I am practicing a quiet kind of honesty with myself. When I feel the familiar tightening in my chest, or the sudden impulse to defend or withdraw, I pause and remember: I am not seeing what is really there. I am only seeing my own thoughts. And that is good news, because it means I am not trapped by the world I made up. I can step back, ask for another way to see, and let the Holy Spirit show me what has always been here instead — a gentle, steady Love that was never upset with me at all.
Video: https://youtu.be/nboqk-MpGbo

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