How can love be with me? This question is difficult for me because sometimes I feel sad. Happiness just seems to run out, and happiness is love.

—Jorge, written at age 9,
Mexico

Dear Jorge,

Thank you for a very good question.

First, happiness isn’t necessarily love. It’s one of the things that comes from love. The Mahanta’s love is always with you. That means he’s with you in both happy and sad times, looking out for your best spiritual good.

Second, God is love, but not everything here is love. Remember, earth is a school. Soul (you) is here to learn how to become more like God’s pure qualities of love. We learn most from our troubles, not always from the good times.

It helps to know this world for what it is—good and evil. The Mahanta’s love helps you avoid many of the hard times and find the good.

There is only one of you in this world. But there are always a few people who think and feel as you do. Open your heart to them. Be their friend. Ignore the ones who are not like you.

The secret is this, Jorge: You make your own happiness. And that begins with the company you keep.

(from April 1998 Letter of Light)