Have you ever wondered why you believe something?
I’m not talking about gravity. We can drop a spoon to the floor and remember why we believe.
I’m talking about God. Love. Heaven. Hell. Fear. Your dreams. Life.
Why do you believe? Perhaps even what do you believe?
It’s worth exploring. It’s worth knowing.
It’s worth looking beneath the ‘because I was taught to believe this‘ or ‘because my family believes‘.
It’s worth looking beneath your surface. It’s worth not being simply a habit of belief.
Find your whys and whats. Find your center that defines and influences everything about you.
If you don’t find it, create it. Create your truth.
Don’t allow it to be hollow or rote. Make it meaningful. Authentic. Powerful. Personal.
Make each belief reflect YOU. Then put your actions and voice behind them.
When you do this – hold your beliefs, especially without worry for others’ opinion – your beliefs will give you wings.
Most excellent!
Thank you, Steve! I do like the encouragement to think here… so many of us (myself included – at least in my earlier life), just believe what we’re told without really contemplating it all. Something tells me you’re someone who contemplates!
Joy and Peace to you
I’ve definitely sat with this thought. Having been raised Catholic I’m trying to be mindful of what I truely believe vs what I’m scared not to believe. I know I am spiritual and I’m learning that I have a choice as to how I feed my soul, leaving no room for guilt or shame only compassion for my inner child and others. I love what you say Shannon, about how we are all doing the best we can…beautiful.
Thank you, Sandra, your kindness means a lot. I appreciate all you say, too – it’s meaningful as it sparks more thoughts in others, and shares the real YOU! I read somewhere that no one should speak of God to a child until they start asking and searching, and then we should point them in many directions to find their own way. It was an intriguing idea, especially considering 1) children are so close to God from birth – before Ego and Society get in the way, and 2) each child of God needs to find his/her own way to know God – to assure that it’s a meaningful connection. Otherwise it’s often surface level belief, which serves little.
I love that you’re on a journey to find your way, release guilt and shame, and have compassion for your full self. That is beautiful and purposeful.
Love and Joy to you.
Wow Shannon!!! You’ve opened up a can of proverbial worms with this one. So much of who I am, what I believe and the truths ate based on how I was raised and grew up. This will take some deep thought.
LOL… sure did, didn’t I? I felt this quick blog pop into my heart – not even feeling like it’s from me really. However, I have thought about this a lot over the past 16+ years – since Jonathan (my newborn) died. I’ll share more about that another time.
And it’s exactly because of what you say…. most of what we believe and hold as truths are based on how we were raised. But does that make them truths? Think of what was taught to many ‘white’ children about ‘black’ children back in the south 60 years ago. NO TRUTH THERE! Yet many believed and lived from those segregated lies. The same happens in all areas of life – whether it’s about race, religion, sexuality, economics – big social issues OR it’s about more personally experienced issues such as how we define success, family, love, joy, and desire.
It can be messy…. very messy. UNTIL we realize the truth is within us. It’s just that most of us have been trained to look outside of our own hearts.
Peace and Love to you