It is easy in the world to live after the world’s opinion; it is easy in solitude to live after our own; but the great man is he who in the midst of the crowd keeps with perfect sweetness the independence of solitude. - Ralph Waldo Emerson, Self-Reliance
The world is powered by passionate people, powerful ideas, and fearless action.
1. What’s one strong belief you possess that isn’t shared by your closest friends or family?
2. What inspires this belief, and what have you done to actively live it?
I will admit this openly and here with my five or six readers I am not sure that i have any truly strongly held beliefs that my friends and family do not share. It is not that I do not keep friends or family with divergent thoughts, opinions or ideas rather I don't feel an opposition or in some way had it stand out as an active (vigilant) way to live it.
This is what I wrote on the train on the way home...
This is incredibly difficult. I would not and could not say I have any one singular belief that my family and friends oppose or do not share. I have beliefs or practices that some may disagree with but I have found that the friends and family that are true to me and themselves continually question and challenge those beliefs while accepting that we also differ. I too challenge and question their beliefs. I believe my belief would be "You must be patient with everyone as we are all evolving."
One such evolution that I was going to write about and did write about on the train but now decided not to is my desire to understand the basis of other religions. I was raised Irish Catholic. I was not raised blind, racist, or ignorant. The summer of 2001 I had the privilege of taking a class on religions of the near east which covered Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Bahai among others. We had Spanish Catholics, Pakastani Muslims, Southern Baptists, German Lutherans, and a few Jews in the class and it was taught by an ex Scottish Episcopalian Minister. What a way to learn prejudice and reality. It was fantastic. It was one of the first times I was able to open my mouth and say I find rejoicing in death absolutely awful. I have always been questioned about the fact that I do not support the death penalty (yes even if it were a family member who was killed and I have experience in this matter). But now I am going on more than I want about this. Let me just say this-I have faith, I believe in a God who is just, who is harsh and loving, who tests us and who pushes us to our boundaries at times to teach us. Our religion is how we name our god. Using his name to kill, maim, justify injury, justify hatred, or preach injustice is not religion or godly Remember that. It is hatred, it is evil. God will know. in any religion.
So how do I live it? I experience other religions. I ask about them, I participate in them. I try to learn what I can about them to understand them. I do not actively preach them. I read proverbs from the bible in the same manner some read poetry or the writings of Confucius.
What I really wanted to write about that is my belief that I know many of my friends just laugh off about me is my recycle/cloth diaper/whole foods/make it at home thing. It is something I am passionate about and actively live.
Recycle/Reuse I love recycling. I grew up with it. My parents were big into recycling-everything from newspapers to rags. We had the rag bag, we had newspapers, we had cans, we reused the plastic bins port wine cheese came in, we reused or recycled everything. We purchased a ton from thrift stores and for the most part it was a good way of life. Recycle and reuse.
Cloth Diapers--Wylie was in cloth from birth to underwear. It took a bit more effort. It took a bit more money in the very beginning. It paid off in his healthy bum and the fact that we created very little trash and he was potty trained rather efficiently (right up until we moved!) but he was poop trained much faster than most. I have educated and shared my experience with several friends and the nice thing is they then did the cloth transition which made me very very happy! :)
Whole Foods-Wyatt makes fun of me for this one but gets it completely. I make my own yogurt, grown my vegetables, try to get small chickens that are organic and free range/farm raised (not full of antibiotics and actually ran in the fields) and getting my beef from a butcher that can tell me the farm the cows came from and that I can take home and grind the beef myself. We actually bought frozen organic vegetables when Wylie was first beginning to eat solids and steamed, pureed, and froze them in ice cube trays. Other parents acted like I was nuts for doing this and that it took so much time out of my day. It took minutes.
Finally we cook a ton of meals at home and make our meals from scratch. easier and more interesting. Yes it takes a bit more time but it is just better for my family.
I will admit this openly and here with my five or six readers I am not sure that i have any truly strongly held beliefs that my friends and family do not share. It is not that I do not keep friends or family with divergent thoughts, opinions or ideas rather I don't feel an opposition or in some way had it stand out as an active (vigilant) way to live it.
This is what I wrote on the train on the way home...
This is incredibly difficult. I would not and could not say I have any one singular belief that my family and friends oppose or do not share. I have beliefs or practices that some may disagree with but I have found that the friends and family that are true to me and themselves continually question and challenge those beliefs while accepting that we also differ. I too challenge and question their beliefs. I believe my belief would be "You must be patient with everyone as we are all evolving."
One such evolution that I was going to write about and did write about on the train but now decided not to is my desire to understand the basis of other religions. I was raised Irish Catholic. I was not raised blind, racist, or ignorant. The summer of 2001 I had the privilege of taking a class on religions of the near east which covered Judaism, Christianity, Islam, and Bahai among others. We had Spanish Catholics, Pakastani Muslims, Southern Baptists, German Lutherans, and a few Jews in the class and it was taught by an ex Scottish Episcopalian Minister. What a way to learn prejudice and reality. It was fantastic. It was one of the first times I was able to open my mouth and say I find rejoicing in death absolutely awful. I have always been questioned about the fact that I do not support the death penalty (yes even if it were a family member who was killed and I have experience in this matter). But now I am going on more than I want about this. Let me just say this-I have faith, I believe in a God who is just, who is harsh and loving, who tests us and who pushes us to our boundaries at times to teach us. Our religion is how we name our god. Using his name to kill, maim, justify injury, justify hatred, or preach injustice is not religion or godly Remember that. It is hatred, it is evil. God will know. in any religion.
So how do I live it? I experience other religions. I ask about them, I participate in them. I try to learn what I can about them to understand them. I do not actively preach them. I read proverbs from the bible in the same manner some read poetry or the writings of Confucius.
What I really wanted to write about that is my belief that I know many of my friends just laugh off about me is my recycle/cloth diaper/whole foods/make it at home thing. It is something I am passionate about and actively live.
Recycle/Reuse I love recycling. I grew up with it. My parents were big into recycling-everything from newspapers to rags. We had the rag bag, we had newspapers, we had cans, we reused the plastic bins port wine cheese came in, we reused or recycled everything. We purchased a ton from thrift stores and for the most part it was a good way of life. Recycle and reuse.
Cloth Diapers--Wylie was in cloth from birth to underwear. It took a bit more effort. It took a bit more money in the very beginning. It paid off in his healthy bum and the fact that we created very little trash and he was potty trained rather efficiently (right up until we moved!) but he was poop trained much faster than most. I have educated and shared my experience with several friends and the nice thing is they then did the cloth transition which made me very very happy! :)
Whole Foods-Wyatt makes fun of me for this one but gets it completely. I make my own yogurt, grown my vegetables, try to get small chickens that are organic and free range/farm raised (not full of antibiotics and actually ran in the fields) and getting my beef from a butcher that can tell me the farm the cows came from and that I can take home and grind the beef myself. We actually bought frozen organic vegetables when Wylie was first beginning to eat solids and steamed, pureed, and froze them in ice cube trays. Other parents acted like I was nuts for doing this and that it took so much time out of my day. It took minutes.
Finally we cook a ton of meals at home and make our meals from scratch. easier and more interesting. Yes it takes a bit more time but it is just better for my family.
1 comment:
Just wanted to let you know that I'm one of your enthusiastic cloth diaper converts!! And we're right there with you on the whole foods.
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