 This time of year and happenings across the globe are deeply focused on religion, for good or ill. Religion itself can be problematic. "My belief is right and yours is wrong" is the common element of discord. Formal strictures of theology, cultural implications driving each set of beliefs, the limits of human intelligence, and the demands of the ego conspire to obscure something that is deeply shared across human nature.
That something is our evolutionary need to understand WHY and to try to control our circumstances. Not having answers generates fear; it feels potentially life-threatening. But to the extent I know anything about religions, spiritual belief, and science, what underlies them all, what can be found in their language and concepts, is that we are all part of some kind of spiritual experience - pulsing as part of a transcendent energy that we cannot and never will comprehend. Even science helps us here. Think of yourself as a particle in Einstein's equation E= mc2. You are a collection of particles (m) and, if you were to travel at the speed of light squared (c2) you would become energy (E). It's that simple and that complex. (This Constant Contact program doesn't allow the squared symbol!).
We live within an abundance of mystery. Thank goodness. It balances the rationality of science so dominant today - that fundamental need "to know." But we must not expect that yours and my mystery share the same elements. Seven billion different souls inhabit this universe and each will necessarily have a personalized sense, conscious or not, of why they are here. Oftentimes, the differences are problematic. Nevertheless our human bond is that we find ourselves somehow sharing this unfathomable mystery. Even atheists add their spice to the mix.
I grew up in a family with limited circumstances but they offered me many admirable personal values and educational opportunities that ensured my deep respect for social justice, fair play, and responsible action. My love and appreciation go out to my mother, Evelyn, and especially my step-father, Arthur Gardiner, for the gifts of their natural wisdom, hard work, and common sense. They were both proud, steadfast, and convinced that it is important to have integrity, speak truth to power, and participate in what life offers.
May we all enjoy our own mystery and specialness, as well as that of our fellow earthly travelers as we move forward. Let each of us pursue honesty, personal accountability, and caring for the other. And may the New Year bring increased capacity on all our parts to celebrate mystery, wonder, and the unique path each of us travels without even knowing why. Someone once wrote, "Faith is the daring of the soul to go farther than it can see." Let this be a year of daring!
Until January 8...Jima Rice
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