I once drispered to Amanda McBroom, whose belief that “Mankind’s most redeeming feature as a species is its capacity for love” deeply impressed me. That was all I needed to hear. I chose her to carry the message of “The Rose” to the masses.

Wait! You did? I love that song! Don’t you just love her words? ‘For some, love is like a river that drowns the tender reed. While others say that love is like a razor that leaves one’s soul to bleed. Still others describe love as a hunger, an endless aching need.’ But then,” she reassures us, ‘love, it is a flower. And you… it’s only seed.’”

Originally, she envisioned the title as “The Flower.” However, I drispered to her to make it a rose. I needed the acronym.

Huh?

These two competing Psyches—the Garb’s Mind and the Self’s Soul—approach life in TempTerra from entirely different perspectives.

I’m guessing they correspond to R.O.S.E.?

These differences make it clear why it is so challenging for a Self to persuade a Garb to defy its instincts and change its ways. Let me begin by outlining four major Differences that I would like to bring to your attention.

Can you name them first – before you dive into each one?

Absolutely! They are Competing Realities, Competing Outlooks, Competing Strategies, and Competing Emotions. These differences build upon one another, forming a continuous sequence.

Okay: Competing Realities. I’m ready!

A Garb’s reality is shaped by the human Mind, driven by brainwaves. However, much like an electromagnet, when those brainwaves stop, this Constructed Reality simply disappears. It ceases to exist.

That makes sense. So, not only is the Mind’s reality superficial, but it’s also completely temporary.

In contrast, the Soul’s reality exists whether or not the Soul is aware of or values it. This Authentic Reality predates the Soul’s existence, and every Soul emerges from it. In the end, each Soul returns to this awaiting Reality when the Garb meets its end.

I can see how these two totally different realities might lead to completely Competing Outlooks on life in TempTerra. And more importantly, I get how they affect the reasoning behind the choices Garbs make.

How so?

Okay, so the Garb’s outlook is all about being materialistic, practical, and super transactional. They link happiness to success, and success to progress. They measure progress in terms of gains and losses. Am I on the right track?

Spot on. The Soul’s outlook is all about relationships. It is not concerned with temporal acquisitions or worldly progress; it simply seeks to connect with other Souls. Without these interactions, there is no chance to spread Love, and Spreading Love is the divine purpose for SoulJourning in TempTerra.

Are we ready for the third distinction, Competing Strategies? I’m curious to see what that’s all about.

It follows logically enough from Competing Realities. The Garb’s world is limited in time and space.

Yeah, we talked about this. By seeing reality through our five senses, we humans notice there are limited resources, space, and time. I could go on forever! I’m on a roll!

Adopting that outlook, what strategies do Garbs use when operating from an Attitude of Poverty? Do they not take a competitive approach in their relationships with others?

You know, this connects to things we’ve discussed before. Humans tend to approach life with ideas like Survival of the Fittest, Might Makes Right, and Fight or Flight, and stuff like that.

Given these predispositions, can you see how relationships among Garbs are inherently transactional? It all revolves around the question: “What’s in it for me and mine?”

Yeah, the Garb’s strategy is basically selfish. I need to have enough for myself and my loved ones. I totally get it now.

And there you have identified the heart of the issue: “loved ones.” This focus on a select few creates division, drawing lines between who is worthy of love and who is not.

And God wants us to reconnect, not create more separation! I’m really getting it now.

Do Garbs not impose a “We and Them” attitude toward everyone they meet? Is there not an expression, “Each to their own”? What does that mean to you?

Does it not reveal the separation and division inherent in their Competing Outlook, reinforcing the idea that everyone is out for themselves?

Totally reminds me of the Beatles song, “I, Me, Mine.” You know, when it comes to Competing Strategies, humans approach relationships with caution, skepticism, and distrust. And yeah, I get it now—everything comes down to Choices.

Now consider the Soul’s Strategy. Given that every Soul is equal in each other’s figurative eyes, do we hold a “We and Them” Outlook? Or is there a wholesome sense of unity and interconnectedness?

Of course not. That just shows how opposite the two Competing Strategies really are. While Souls don’t fear others or poverty, and they have this strong desire to connect with other Souls, they’re also determined to seek out other Souls and find ways to help them realize their Spiritual Perfection.

Meanwhile, as everything you mentioned pulses within each Soul, the bonded Garb is wrestling against those very impulses.

This last discussion has really made me see just how big the tension is between Garb and Self. I can totally understand how frustrating it must be for every Soul trying to get its Garb to Spread Love.

Good. And as a final thought on this, consider this, dear Maggie: your Soul is the RealYou.

Oh my gosh. I feel like I’ve been failing myself. Feel no shame, dear one. It is ALL’s design that humans are wired to preserve and extend life at all costs, with a singular focus on avoiding pain and seeking pleasure. The key is to do so while maintaining Spiritual Equilibrium.