It's Time To Examine Ourselves: What Do You Believe In?

Clarity.  I don't think we can achieve it - not perfectly - not in this lifetime.  But those small glimpses we have of it can be life changing.    We live in a fog most of our lives and don't even know it.  For instance, we are aware of the fact that this life is fleeting, yet we live it as if that were not the case.  And we are in denial of anything that proves that there is something beyond, outside of, or surrounding this reality in which we currently exist.

People speak of having felt the presence of a loved one who has passed from this life.  For some it was a hint of perfume, for others an unexplained touch, and every now and then, the presence of a full-body apparition.   We hear these stories and we brush them aside.  I hear them and they give me hope.  Hope that when my time comes, I will still be aware of those I have left behind.  That the realm in which I will exist will not be removed from, but surrounding that in which my children and their children will be "living".  I don't believe that heaven is above us.  But it is a "step up" in terms of our spiritual development.  Thus we look upwards.  And hell is beneath us only in the sense that, to end up in that state, we have taken a fall from where we are now.   I have heard people say that they believe this is hell.  And I've never understood that.  I guess I am lucky.  When I look outside of myself, I see so much beauty.   

At the risk of sounding trite, I am in awe of roses, cardinals, butterflies (in spite of what they eat), sunsets, forests, oceans, and the beautiful children and friends God has given me.  They all blow me away in their beauty and I enjoy being around them.  I love what we have done with the creative energies God has given us.  A beautiful piece of music can bring tears to my eyes, as can an inspiring painting, or work of architecture.  I think it's when we look inward for too long that we begin to miss the beauty that surrounds us and, consequently, get that glimpse of what hell may, in fact, be like.   I have heard it said that hell is "merely" being separated from God.  And I guess that makes sense.  Since we are made in His image, are full of His creative energies, love because He first loved us, then, yes, take that all away, and existence would be terrible, empty, and cold. 

Along those lines, I have never understood how someone who did not believe in God could make it through a crisis.  How lonely and sad to believe that we are as powerful, as creative, and as loving a "being" as can possibly be.  And that this life is as good as it gets. 

I have so many reasons why I believe in God.  To list them would keep me up for a week and bore you all to death.  But, in the next several weeks, during this time of reflection that we call Lent, I will share with you some of them, in hopes that, if you are one of those who thinks that "this is as good as it gets and that this is all there is", then I can introduce you to a different way of seeing things.  And for those of you who already believe, I hope to encourage you and remind you of how awesome our God is and how lucky we are to be His.

Tonight my wonderful husband took me out to dinner.  We went to Nora again - the Lebanese restaurant that I am so fond of.  And we tried some of their non-meat, non-dairy items and really enjoyed the meal.  The appetizers consisted of stuffed grape leaves and baba ganouj.  For my main dish I got a hummus and tabouleh pita.  Yum.....Eating out, keeping the fast, and keeping it healthy is not too difficult. 

Until next time, happy and healthy eating!