When I Am Afraid

I find quiet within.

I am not a super religious person. My family went to church all my growing up years. I didn’t see that pass to my immediate family, although we attended church as a family, and I continue to speak fondly of my time being in the choirs I participated in. Our girls went to Sunday School and participated in youth activities. We were not the kind of family who lived and breathed church life.

I am, if I am to be honest, put off by people who seem to use religion as a hammer to browbeat others into submission to what they want, or seem overbearing, as if they are the artibers of my life, not just theirs.

My problem is that I consider your religion to be just that - YOUR religion, and you should keep it to yourself most of the time. I consider it to be one of those things that people see the goodness you do, not the words you spout or shout.

Last night, here in Wisconsin, there were two candidates running for governor being interviewed on a local station. When one was asked about his short answer to who he is, he said first of all, he is a Christian. He seemed performative. I am sure for some though, that is enough that he is “willing” to announce his christianity.

I would prefer to see someone’s goodness and never know their choice of religion or not. You should be a good person, without announcing.

I saw something yesterday, a comment on Facebook, asking what we can do about elected officials who are destroying our country and yet in some instances are bragging about their “religion.” When a clear dichotomy is evident, we must then use our powers of critical thinking and decide which of the two realities are true. Is the person truly a person of faith if they do -continuously- those things which no religious person would do? Or should we believe the other person we see - the one who does not follow any rule of morality, but is instead cruel and vindictive and seems to hate others? I said we must vote for those who fulfill our conscience. If the person of your party does not match your beliefs, you must vote for the one that does. We cannot change the world if we vote “because we have always voted for this party or that, or because our friend, neighbor, dad, mom, whomever says they are the one to vote for.” We must vote for morality and treating others the way we want to be treated. We must live as if our life is the life of the other. What do I gain if I have everything but have lost my soul? What we see with the corruption and grift at the top of our government right now is enough to make us all sick, but I am sure we will come out on the other side with a better country than ever, if we persevere.

We must live our belief. We must live our reality. We must be the change we want to be . We must persist in our giving to others. In protecting those who need our help. By sharing our riches, whatever those consist of - perhaps yours is not money, but time. Perhaps you teach, or can speak with words that move people’s hearts and minds.

Find your gift, your strength, and make your light shine. Now is the time. Now is when we must be our true selves and make a difference.

Those who continue to obstruct our view of what this administration is doing, need to be replaced with a moral vision for our country. This is what the founding fathers wanted. A country where we ALL have a fair chance. Where we ALL have rights. Where we are ALL equal. Not some, but ALL.

Find joy in the living today. Find joy in the every day things that fill our lives. We are not waiting to live, we are alive now. Make the most of your minutes.