OMG, for reals.
Would you consider yourself a spiritual person?
I've never been able to define what I feel. It has no name, no book per se, but it shows itself often to me. I believe in the God in all of us, that energy, the spark of life that may be broken down scientifically but it goes beyond textbooks and equations. We each hold that light but might name it something different from our neighbor.
My students often ask me what religion I am. A lot of the kids guess that I'm Jewish but maybe they're looking to identify with some commonality. It's difficult to describe my own feelings to a child because most of what they've learned so far has clear labels and I always tell them whatever they believe in is true. If it makes sense to you, that's all that matters.
I grew up in a non-religious family, but definitely have a had a long relationship with God. It probably started after the death of a relative at a young age. I would send hugs and kisses to god at night when I went to bed so that he could distribute them to Nanna, Grammy & Grampy, Uncle George then later Poppa. I actually collected stones that I kept in a velvet pouch with obituaries so that I could keep them around somehow.
I'd venture to say that most kids probably really start to feel that spiritual connection after the death of a loved one. Up to that point, I had no reason to question god's plan or whatever it may have meant to me.
The love-hate thing that happens to most teens happened to me after my parents split up. The "Why God" later became "Please God" when I thought he could give me a hand in snagging my first boyfriend. Pretty sure that my prayers were answered with that one but the guy broke my heart so who knows right?
All this babble brings me to what I'm feeling today. About having an adult relationship with God or the universe or whatever you call it. Has it been more of a struggle because there have never been a set of expectations laid out? No contract signed? No set rituals? No ceremony witnessed by others?
I find my faith in the woods, with the birds, in the ocean, on the countryside. It's not in a book, but maybe I should write one, though deciding on the guidelines seems a bit egotistic.
Ah yes, the ego. The voice in your mind that loves to sabotage almost everything you care about or ponder. My ego's a self-loathing b*tch but my spirit is an all-loving creature. The two are at odds with each other on a regular basis, but with a few good books under my belt now and a dedication to meditation, I believe that a mutual understanding will begin to develop between the two. The ego's pretty good in being a reality check but my spirit is the one who ventures. And that's the kind of spiritual relationship I want, and maybe always have had but with little to support it. When my mind wanders I'll allow it to, and see things from that awesome perspective that gives me the ability to write. 90% of these posts have been influenced by it so far, so stay tuned cuz it's gonna reeeeeeeal.
What do you pray for? Do you read something or make it up? Are you a grown-up when you talk to god or do you still feel like a child? I have to ponder that myself.
Ravi Shankar,
Katie
I've never been able to define what I feel. It has no name, no book per se, but it shows itself often to me. I believe in the God in all of us, that energy, the spark of life that may be broken down scientifically but it goes beyond textbooks and equations. We each hold that light but might name it something different from our neighbor.
My students often ask me what religion I am. A lot of the kids guess that I'm Jewish but maybe they're looking to identify with some commonality. It's difficult to describe my own feelings to a child because most of what they've learned so far has clear labels and I always tell them whatever they believe in is true. If it makes sense to you, that's all that matters.
I grew up in a non-religious family, but definitely have a had a long relationship with God. It probably started after the death of a relative at a young age. I would send hugs and kisses to god at night when I went to bed so that he could distribute them to Nanna, Grammy & Grampy, Uncle George then later Poppa. I actually collected stones that I kept in a velvet pouch with obituaries so that I could keep them around somehow.
I'd venture to say that most kids probably really start to feel that spiritual connection after the death of a loved one. Up to that point, I had no reason to question god's plan or whatever it may have meant to me.
The love-hate thing that happens to most teens happened to me after my parents split up. The "Why God" later became "Please God" when I thought he could give me a hand in snagging my first boyfriend. Pretty sure that my prayers were answered with that one but the guy broke my heart so who knows right?
All this babble brings me to what I'm feeling today. About having an adult relationship with God or the universe or whatever you call it. Has it been more of a struggle because there have never been a set of expectations laid out? No contract signed? No set rituals? No ceremony witnessed by others?
I find my faith in the woods, with the birds, in the ocean, on the countryside. It's not in a book, but maybe I should write one, though deciding on the guidelines seems a bit egotistic.
Ah yes, the ego. The voice in your mind that loves to sabotage almost everything you care about or ponder. My ego's a self-loathing b*tch but my spirit is an all-loving creature. The two are at odds with each other on a regular basis, but with a few good books under my belt now and a dedication to meditation, I believe that a mutual understanding will begin to develop between the two. The ego's pretty good in being a reality check but my spirit is the one who ventures. And that's the kind of spiritual relationship I want, and maybe always have had but with little to support it. When my mind wanders I'll allow it to, and see things from that awesome perspective that gives me the ability to write. 90% of these posts have been influenced by it so far, so stay tuned cuz it's gonna reeeeeeeal.
What do you pray for? Do you read something or make it up? Are you a grown-up when you talk to god or do you still feel like a child? I have to ponder that myself.
Ravi Shankar,
Katie
Wonderful way to enjoy my coffee this morning. I am preparing myself for this very question from students as I am teaching ERC in addition to ELA... I wish us mutual luck?!
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