Here in the states, we’ve just celebrated a day dedicated to giving thanks for all that we have received and for those we hold dear in our hearts. It’s the start of the holiday season, an odd mash of both secular and religious. We look forward to the end of the calendar year, giving and receiving presents, spending time with our families and loved ones. People celebrate the birth of their savior, light candles in remembrance for 8 days, honor sacrifices made, and enjoy the fruits of the harvest. It’s a time when the earth goes to sleep, a symbolic death that will result in a reawakening during the spring – the end of one cycle and the beginning of the next. No matter what your religious beliefs, it’s a time of deep meaning.
A long time ago, I thought I had lost my faith. Looking back, I realize I no longer accepted the answers I was given to the great mysteries in life. All the great thinkers, philosophers, religious leaders and such believe in one thing – faith must be questioned and explored if it’s to flourish. I don’t have all the answers, in fact, for every question I answer I come up with 99 more questions. And honestly, I prefer it that way. I like the idea of an unknowable universe. In this day and age, where information is accessible at our fingertips, where we can communicate with people in the most remote regions, it’s comforting to know that we still grope for answers in the dark like our ancestors, staring up at the night sky and trying to find ways to name what we can’t understand.
Faith does not belong to any one belief – whether you worship God, Yahweh, Allah, Buddha, the Great Spaghetti Monster, or nothing at all, faith is knowing that sometimes, the answer isn’t either black or white, but could be one of a million shades of gray. It’s there when you teach your children everything you know and hoping they follow the proper path. It’s there when you tell someone you love them and those sweet painful blissful agonizing moments before they respond. It’s taking a chance when you don’t know what the outcome is, and living with the result.
I’ve watched as a devout atheist tried to find out what comes after death, just to see if he was right all along. I’ve watched as friends who were devoutly religious lost their faith when hard times came and no respite came. I’ve seen good done by those branded as evil, and I’ve seen evil done by those claiming the side of justice and righteousness. And I realized labels aren’t important. I don’t know what happens to the soul after the physical body stops working. I don’t know how the universe came to be or how it will end. I know that true goodness comes from generosity, compassion, and brotherhood. Evil comes from greed, selfishness, and lust and the other seven deadly sins, and no matter what label you hide behind, actions commited for those reasons are still evil.
I don’t know if a grand judgement awaits me when my physical form passes on. I know in my life I have commited both good and evil deeds. In my heart, I can acknoledge what I’ve done in my life, and I know that only through my positive actions can I find redemption for whatever ills I’ve wrought. Whether or not the negative things I’ve lived through in my life are a chance happening or a result of some past misdeed, I know that the universe strives for balance, and by doing good I can find peace.
So as this year comes to an end, my wish for everyone is this – know peace and love. Tell those you love and care about how you truly feel. Revel in the joys of life. Do something for someone and expect nothing in return. Look beyond labels and recognize that we’re all seeking for the same thing. Try to leave the world a better place today than it was yesterday, one step at a time. Take a chance, and have faith that it will lead to good things. I think you’ll find that no matter what your beliefs are, that these hold true no matter what you worship.
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