A shelter is a basic need that most people lack. There is another group of people who have temporary shelter and are unsure where they will lay their heads the following day. Only a small fraction has permanent shelters they can rely on. Even so, they keep looking out for another shelter as a backup plan to what they already have. The issue of shelter is a big deal to the extent that governments are stepping in to fill the gap. They are rolling out affordable housing projects to give decent housing to its population. The United Nations recognize housing as an emerging need globally and encourages policies to reduce the 1.6 billion gap of people living in inadequate conditions.
Why do you need decent housing?
To give you dignity.
Decent housing boosts your self-esteem and is a plus to your dignity. It gives you the courage to stand before your peers without feeling shameful of the place you call home. A decent shelter is also a boundary of the poverty line and separates the haves and have-nots. For what it is worth, it feels good to have good shelter and you should consider yourself lucky if you have one.
For privacy reasons.
Decent housing gives you the freedom to maintain your privacy. You can keep secrets away from the eyes of strangers. They are left to guess what is happening in your life because you have the power to set a limit on what they see.
To address security concerns.
Decent housing helps to keep you safe. It will be a cold day in hell when thieves want to break into it. Your valuables remain safe in the four walls of your house even when it is unsafe outside of it. Even they (robbers) know that it’s a wasted effort to break into a strong house. They will prey on temporary ones and those without any shelter.
The competition for shelter.
We go to great lengths to secure shelter for ourselves and our families. If we can put this effort into a physical shelter, how much more can we do for our spirits? Our spirits need shelter in the universe for the same reasons that our bodies do.
There is stiff competition for shelter in the universe and the pressure is not easing even for a bit. Your success in your work, academics, business, spirituality, and personal development heavily depends on your spirit. Empower it by meeting its needs just as you meet the needs of your body – food, shelter, clothing, and education.
A well-nurtured spirit is productive and goes ahead of you to prepare a high table of accomplishments. It leads you to become a successful person with great achievements.
Start by building a home for your spirit in the universe. This is how to:
Choose a suitable place to build one.
This is the first decision you need to make if you want to build a shelter for yourself; let alone your spirit. The location, neighborhood, availability of social services, and geography of the place are some of the factors that you consider.
You can take this to the bank – the best place to build a shelter is on a rock. It is a solid place that will give your house a firm foundation. Neither natural nor human calamities can destroy it. A rock is a symbol of the tough decisions you have to make in your spirit for you to ground yourself on the right path. Despite the temptations for a quick fix, make the best decision for your spirit – building your shelter on a rock.
Use approved construction materials.
The type of materials that you use to build your house matters a lot. The market has different materials for any budget. You can get cheap materials to build your house but are they worth it? You would rather buy durable materials that will last longer than buying counterfeit products that would hardly last.
The shelter of your spirit also needs durable materials. They build a strong house and will last longer than less costly materials. The financial pinch of buying them is in the form of giving out to charity, helping the poor, and giving back to the community. The same things that you give out will find their way back to you in one way or the other. Treat other people as you would yourself and apply the same standards. These are the approved construction materials.
Follow the by-laws of the universe’s gated community.
Gated communities have by-laws that new entrants should abide by or else they are kicked out of there. Some of them are that your house should be only one or two floors high, have a gate, and be fenced. The members of that community want a certain standard for homes in their neighborhoods and you cannot build anything that violates their standards.
The universe too has by-laws that you should abide by if you want to build your shelter. The first one is that you should take care of your environment (people included). Leave a place better than you found it so that your impact can be felt. We all have a collective responsibility to take care of nature and in return, we will have our space in the community.
Settle down and integrate with the community.
After the community has accepted you to be in their midst, you have the responsibility of settling down and being part of them. You now have a new family among them and you should embrace it. Anything that affects them directly affects you as well.
The same applies in the universe. After building a home there, it is your responsibility to embrace your spirituality for you to live peacefully. A shelter in the universe is worth every sacrifice. The community in the universe is now your support group.
Have you built your shelter in the universe? This is a calling to make this all-important decision.
