with so many crazy stories about so called “religion” - vatican laundering money (hey, they have legal bills!), crazies fighting for their freedom of speech to say the most disgusting things, and today declaring that christians shouldn’t do yoga - i try to focus on the essence of what religion is - it’s not about earthly trappings and ignorant people. it’s about a power, a universe, a man, a father - a whatever you want to call it - but it’s the higher power we go to for guidance, to thank, to pray, to focus, to ask for something to be given and ask for other things to be taken away.

i was raised catholic, so to me, it was a man, a father, a holy spirit - all in one. I didn’t question. i walked in israel where Jesus walked. I went to Bethlehem and was very moved knowing the angel came to deliver a message to Mary in that very field. i ate fish from the sea of galilee and it was tasty. That man, that holy spirit, that father...He’s all things - he’s in my yoga class when I am centered and I focus on my mantra...I am authentic power...positive and loving. I am authentic power because of him (or her). And i’m not some tamborine waving church goer, i’m just sure there is something else out there. something bigger than all of us. a kindness. a guidance.

i started to write tonight because i had snarky things to say in my WWJP post, but what i’m really realizing is that we are surrounded by religion every day, in every person that we meet in the tiniest of ways. when we share a look, a smile, a bit of our humanity with a stranger. Tonight i went for a long walk. I’ve had a terrible headache for 3 days and am just feeling better, so i was extra appreciative of the beautiful fall night.

I live in clayton, which i feel is safe, but there have been attacks over by Wash U at night, so i stayed away from that area and was extra cautious (i believe they caught the guy a while back). So i walked up Delmar making sure i didn’t go all the way to the bus stop by 170. Why i equate bus stops with crime, i still don’t really understand because Di used to ride the bus all the time in st. louis. Anyway I turn onto Delmar by the nursery and dang...I forgot there was another bus stop! Oh well, i semi-nervously think, it’s fine. there is one man sitting alone. As i pass by he looks up, says hello and shares this amazing sparkling smile with me. I swear he nearly twinkled. I said hello, shared a big smile and continued to smile for what i’m sure was about another 30 seconds. Then I kept walking and i passed a young orthodox boy on this way to or from the synagogue. He looked up quickly in that sort of awkward way that shy or young boys do, he caught my eye and smiled this truly delightful smile. These two encounters could not have been with 2 more different people - semi elderly man wearing a hawaiin shirt and a conservatively dress orthodox. I felt like we were 3 random people on the street, but we had a connection. A sharing of a kindness. A glimpse into what truly i believe religion is. it’s your personal power connecting you to something or someone bigger.

wwjp

what would jesus post?

With all the insane media coverage religion is getting lately (rightfully so), and the ability to share/comment so quickly, i wondered...what would Jesus post?

I’m certain it wouldn’t be hateful or judgmental. He wouldn’t go into vulgar details about his dates with Mary Magdelan or post inappropriate (yet funny) pictures of the disciplines breaking into another cask of wine.

Woah - we partied last crazy last night! i don’t know if i’ll be able to take another one of those.

Or

OMG i just back from this wedding, but they ran out of wine! they were freaking and I was like...no problem!

Or

Hey - I was walking on water!! Did anybody catch that with their flip cam?

But my favorite is a message to Peter.

did you just defriend me? what’s up with that? last week I saw you untagged me in all your picts! It’s like you don’t even want people to know you know me... lame.