“My love allows those I love freedom to assume the forms most true to them.  I release all those I love from my preconception of their path.” ~Julia Cameron

 When we first start on a path of spiritual development, one of the first things most of us do is try to convince our friends and relatives to join us on that path.  We are usually disappointed when they don’t, sometimes to the point of giving up on our own spiritual development.  We shouldn’t.  While it is understandable that we want to get others on the path with us, we also have to understand that the path we have chosen is right for us in this place and time but may not be right for our friends and relatives.  Either they are following a different path or they are simply not ready for spiritual development or advanced spiritual training.  While it is disappointing, we have to let them grow at their own pace just as our spiritual teacher does with us.