The Renaissance of "Why Am I?" The Pope Leading The Way.
This blog post isn't about Catholicism. It isn't even really about the Pope. This blog post is my opinion about something I consider a huge plague on our society today, the seemingly lost art of figuring out exactly who or more specifically why we are.
This past week, Pope Francis, popular successor to Pope Benedict has been visiting Brazil. Everywhere he goes, tens of thousands of youth follow him. He is getting the attention of a rock star. To most non-believing Americans, the fervor is third-world nonsense. Generally speaking, we have long since intellectualized ourselves out of religion in the United States. It is the dead hocus pocus of ignorant people gone by. We are far too "smart" to be believing in some deity we can't see.
Yet the human soul, the human heart, the id, whatever you want to call your subconscious self, has always desired to not only understand "who" you are (an answer which can in some respects be answered rather completely), but "why" you are.
For thousands of years religion in its many forms tended to fill that gap. Who were we? We were beings created by God, Allah, or Zeus. We lived many lives until we found enlightenment as Buddhists believe. Or maybe it was the Sun and the Earth and other elements which filled our lives with hope as they did many of the native peoples around the world.
As many of these religious beliefs began to slip away from our society, our hard-wired desire to understand why we are here has not. Unfortunately, when there are no other options, many of our young (and old) men and women turn to drugs, or alcohol, or overeating. They turn towards hate of their fellow man, or intolerance, or greed. They turn towards everything that fills the void "right now" but does nothing to fill the heart in the long-run.
My opinion is we are spiritual beings. Our ability to feel and express emotion inherently leads us to seek the answers to our existence. Some of us still fuel that need with belief in old religions and others not. What I can share with you is if your heart tells you that you are not complete. If you feel a deep desire to understand yourself, to gain a better perspective or appreciation as to "why" you exist; there are so many positive options for you to consider. Drugs aren't going to get you there, nor is alcohol. Nor is overeating. Nor is anger and hate.
I am no expert and I sure don't have all the answers and heck you may not agree with me at all on this one. Fair enough.
For me, what I've found works is first my deep faith in my religion (You sure don't have to believe as I do, I'm just telling you what works for me). Second, has been the choice I made to live a happy, positive life. Third, I fill those moments of personal hunger by ingesting good things into my mind and heart. I read far more than I ever did when I was younger. I am careful as to who I hang around (I try not to hang around negative people...they're downers). I workout, a lot, and try to eat well "most" of the time. That in itself brings me great joy and a sense of self-satisfaction many of my former bad habits never did. Finally, I have faith in my fellow man. I give love freely and plentifully because love never runs out. As a matter of fact, the more you give, the more you have.
I am sure no saint. I screw up bad. BAD! I have my moments. I can be petty, and selfish, and jealous, and get angry, and want to be vengeful sometimes. But I choose to react differently than my instincts. I choose to let go of the negative and push forward with the positive. It is NOT easy but it is doable.
Friends, there is so much out there which can fill our desire to feel like we matter, that can help us figure out our "why am I here?" While the youth following the Pope to hear his words of love and peace may not be your cup of tea, I hope we can all agree, if love and peace are the message, it is a worthy message to hear.
There is an old U.S. Army commercial practically every American remembers which finishes with a jingle and the words "Be, All That You Can Be." The answer to "Why Am I?" is to be all that you can be with the very limited time you've got on this earth. How you go about it, well only you can choose that. My recommendation, choose to live full of positivity, love, tolerance, and respect for all. You'll find the void in your heart overflows with satisfaction if you do.
This past week, Pope Francis, popular successor to Pope Benedict has been visiting Brazil. Everywhere he goes, tens of thousands of youth follow him. He is getting the attention of a rock star. To most non-believing Americans, the fervor is third-world nonsense. Generally speaking, we have long since intellectualized ourselves out of religion in the United States. It is the dead hocus pocus of ignorant people gone by. We are far too "smart" to be believing in some deity we can't see.
Yet the human soul, the human heart, the id, whatever you want to call your subconscious self, has always desired to not only understand "who" you are (an answer which can in some respects be answered rather completely), but "why" you are.
For thousands of years religion in its many forms tended to fill that gap. Who were we? We were beings created by God, Allah, or Zeus. We lived many lives until we found enlightenment as Buddhists believe. Or maybe it was the Sun and the Earth and other elements which filled our lives with hope as they did many of the native peoples around the world.
As many of these religious beliefs began to slip away from our society, our hard-wired desire to understand why we are here has not. Unfortunately, when there are no other options, many of our young (and old) men and women turn to drugs, or alcohol, or overeating. They turn towards hate of their fellow man, or intolerance, or greed. They turn towards everything that fills the void "right now" but does nothing to fill the heart in the long-run.
My opinion is we are spiritual beings. Our ability to feel and express emotion inherently leads us to seek the answers to our existence. Some of us still fuel that need with belief in old religions and others not. What I can share with you is if your heart tells you that you are not complete. If you feel a deep desire to understand yourself, to gain a better perspective or appreciation as to "why" you exist; there are so many positive options for you to consider. Drugs aren't going to get you there, nor is alcohol. Nor is overeating. Nor is anger and hate.
I am no expert and I sure don't have all the answers and heck you may not agree with me at all on this one. Fair enough.
For me, what I've found works is first my deep faith in my religion (You sure don't have to believe as I do, I'm just telling you what works for me). Second, has been the choice I made to live a happy, positive life. Third, I fill those moments of personal hunger by ingesting good things into my mind and heart. I read far more than I ever did when I was younger. I am careful as to who I hang around (I try not to hang around negative people...they're downers). I workout, a lot, and try to eat well "most" of the time. That in itself brings me great joy and a sense of self-satisfaction many of my former bad habits never did. Finally, I have faith in my fellow man. I give love freely and plentifully because love never runs out. As a matter of fact, the more you give, the more you have.
I am sure no saint. I screw up bad. BAD! I have my moments. I can be petty, and selfish, and jealous, and get angry, and want to be vengeful sometimes. But I choose to react differently than my instincts. I choose to let go of the negative and push forward with the positive. It is NOT easy but it is doable.
Friends, there is so much out there which can fill our desire to feel like we matter, that can help us figure out our "why am I here?" While the youth following the Pope to hear his words of love and peace may not be your cup of tea, I hope we can all agree, if love and peace are the message, it is a worthy message to hear.
There is an old U.S. Army commercial practically every American remembers which finishes with a jingle and the words "Be, All That You Can Be." The answer to "Why Am I?" is to be all that you can be with the very limited time you've got on this earth. How you go about it, well only you can choose that. My recommendation, choose to live full of positivity, love, tolerance, and respect for all. You'll find the void in your heart overflows with satisfaction if you do.
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