Our lives are journeys of the soul. Is each life a single journey and a single soul ? That is the stuff of philosophy. It is an interest I seem to have developed in my advancing years. Philosophy and religion are bedfellows. Both are requirements to living a successful life. Love, I would say, is the nutrient required for growth, love of self, and the love we receive from others. As in all things, balance is the key. Each of us are different in our requirements. Some require more from others and others withhold self love. We have many names and descriptions for those states of being. The gamut runs from arrogant to meek. Finding the mean, for ourselves, is the challenge of life and of living. And it is ourselves that we truly must satisfy. That state of being must not be to the exclusion of the society in which we live, that would be too much self love. The expectations of society have to be considered. That is simply because we do require love, as a nutrient, from others. The poet John Donne wrote, " No man is an Island unto himself " a phrase most of us are familiar with. I believe he was simply saying we are not self sufficient, any of us.
There are many little things people say and do that bring these thoughts to my mind. I have grown to not react so quickly to these things and consider their intent. That action in and of itself can be a hazard. I may misinterpret their words or actions and reach a bad conclusion. I can't help but second guess some folks. I question how genuine their words and actions are at times. Then again, there are times when I must question myself as well. Too little or too much ? Am I over evaluating my own opinions ? Would my thoughts stand up to independent review ? That is the sticky part for sure. That is where the balance must be present. It is where the spirit lives.
I think that our spirits are a blend of what was and what will be. We should take whatever we were given and care for that. The nurturing of the spirit we label as religion. It comes in many forms. In all cases the practice of that religion does require something from us. It is never a one way street. Whether it requires a sacrifice of some type, or merely correct actions, the requirement exists. How much of that obligation we are willing to acknowledge is a measure of our devotion. I do think each life is a single journey. One carrier on the highway. But I also believe we are not a single soul. We are all that has come before and all that will be. We only have care of that soul for a short time. The soul will continue its' journey long past our life. It is the life everlasting that has been promised to mankind, no matter what label you wish to apply to the religion. All religions say we are going somewhere ! Yes there are humanists and atheists that proclaim their " religion " has no such promise. I submit they are not religions but philosophies. As I said earlier religion and philosophy are bedfellows and bedfellows share a common interest. Religion and philosophy are both based in belief. Neither can be proven by scientific analysis. Neither requires that action. Both strive to achieve the same thing, a balance. It is in this space that the souls lives.
There are many little things people say and do that bring these thoughts to my mind. I have grown to not react so quickly to these things and consider their intent. That action in and of itself can be a hazard. I may misinterpret their words or actions and reach a bad conclusion. I can't help but second guess some folks. I question how genuine their words and actions are at times. Then again, there are times when I must question myself as well. Too little or too much ? Am I over evaluating my own opinions ? Would my thoughts stand up to independent review ? That is the sticky part for sure. That is where the balance must be present. It is where the spirit lives.
I think that our spirits are a blend of what was and what will be. We should take whatever we were given and care for that. The nurturing of the spirit we label as religion. It comes in many forms. In all cases the practice of that religion does require something from us. It is never a one way street. Whether it requires a sacrifice of some type, or merely correct actions, the requirement exists. How much of that obligation we are willing to acknowledge is a measure of our devotion. I do think each life is a single journey. One carrier on the highway. But I also believe we are not a single soul. We are all that has come before and all that will be. We only have care of that soul for a short time. The soul will continue its' journey long past our life. It is the life everlasting that has been promised to mankind, no matter what label you wish to apply to the religion. All religions say we are going somewhere ! Yes there are humanists and atheists that proclaim their " religion " has no such promise. I submit they are not religions but philosophies. As I said earlier religion and philosophy are bedfellows and bedfellows share a common interest. Religion and philosophy are both based in belief. Neither can be proven by scientific analysis. Neither requires that action. Both strive to achieve the same thing, a balance. It is in this space that the souls lives.
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