What I believe

I have taken this space to rant about what I don't believe in before but I have not been clear as to what I DO believe, so in the spirit of full disclosure, here it is in part ....and please excuse me for the rambling...

I believe in Karma.  Not the "everything comes around because it has to kind of Karma,  but like a gambles believes that sooner or later their number has to come up a winner,  I believe that if you, or anyone for that matter,  is a complete tool it follows that at some point in time someone is going to be a complete tool to you.  I see that as probable. I also see that as balancing and I strongly believe in Balance.

I believe in Balance. Good, bad it's all part of us and we are all capable of both. I also believe it is possible for something we see as evil to be good for someone else. I know as a younger person I have committed acts I believed to be good only to later in life, upon reflection, to view differently. I also believe our perspective often flavors our view of good and bad and as labels the words good and bad are not always helpful in framing the world.

I believe that humanity is flawed but at the same time filled with potential to do great things. Like the Gandalf in the Lord of the Rings I believe greatness is achievable by the simplest of folks doing the simplest of things. (Dropping a ring down a hole). I feel people are generally well intention-ed, but we as a group often fail to live up to our potential because we all too often get caught up in other things that take our focus away from the important things in life.  Things like being with each other, enjoying each others company, etc.

I believe religion, because it attempts to direct and recommend a course of action based upon an eternal reward, does not allow mankind to develop and grow. It keeps us as children, behaving properly (Doing what our god mom or dad said had to be done) so mom will give us a treat at the end of the day for being good, or not send us to our room, (hell) if we were bad. In this way religion limits our full growth and maturing as individual thinking peoples. Only when a child can decide for him or herself  what is right or wrong because of the impacts it has on others around them, and not because of what the child has been told to do, does it become a mature responsible adult. Mankind must likewise grow to a point of action for its own inherent good or bad result as opposed to prostituting his soul for a payout held out by others.  

On a more practical level I believe it is the job of all citizens to contribute what they can to aid each other and the world. I also believe that contribution has to be made out a desire to aid each other and not be forced. I therefore see most conservative policies as hurtful to society as a whole because they tend emphasize the individual over the whole. I believe in tolerance and when possible live and let live. For example, I believe a woman's body is her own and I have no place telling her what she can and can not do with it, or how she can use it.

I believe it is the natural state of the world and all the creatures in it to attempt to bring order to chaos and chaos to order. It is only in order we can see the the nature of chaos and it is only when in chaos we can see and appreciate the requirement for order. Balance requires this.

I once had a friend who drank too much. I remember speaking to my Shaman about it. (A term I use lovingly). This drinking friend was causing havoc in all those about him/her who were all struggling to try and help them away from the drinking. Work place relationships were being damaged, friendships were becoming strained. The entire situation was crumbling around my friend. I asked my Shaman how could we get them to stop? My Shaman answered, "Why do YOU need to get them to stop?" "If your friend is going to drink, you cannot stop it, anymore than you could stop a river from running it's course. Eventually the river will make it's own way where its own flow will take it." 

(It gains a man nothing to yell at the wind!)

 In that moment a lot of what I believe was made clear to me by my Shaman. You see all I could have done would have been to expend energy to try and divert the river, the question that needed to be answered is, " Did I have the energy to redirect a river?" I decided to be available to assist and support my friend but to not take on the responsibility of owning the problem. I soon became far less stressed and worried as I did not allow myself to become immersed in the Chaos my friend was creating. They did "bottom out" eventually but are now to a large degree finding their own balance. 

I believe people do not spend enough time learning about themselves. If we wish to be what we perceive as good. Then we must be aware of our own actions and the impacts they have on others. This means we must constantly examine ourselves and what we do, not just in terms of what we intended, but in a way that allows us to determine if others would share that same assessment. As such reflection is very important. Time spent thinking is important. Only by examining our actions can we insure that we do not bring too much chaos or order to the world but we share in its struggle for balance.

So in this thanksgiving or Christmas holiday season, when we get bathed in the requirement give thanks or to buy presents and celebrate the birth of a child credited by many for saving us all, I will hopefully manage to take a minute to reflect on who I am, where I am, and if it is the place I want to be, and if I am the person I want to be. I will try and enjoy the family I am surrounded by and swim in the circle I have around me.  And for all of my friends out there who take a few minutes to read my inane ramblings and can accept them for what I try and make them..... I offer you one wish for the holiday season.