REALITY - 11/20/2013 - Inspiration from the Source: Your reality may not be my reality, but that does not mean that either of us are "wrong." Throughout history many mythologies have been created to express the inner workings of the universe. Some, which seemed reasonable when created, seem farfetched to a modern thinker. Who knows what, in the future, will pass for religion, who knows where science will take us, who knows what mythologies will rise and fade as time passes. What is true today, very well may be laughable to a future generation.

I have opened myself many times to listening to my inner voice for answers to life, the universe and everything. I look at every moment as a new opportunity to listen for the answers. Interestingly, if you are raised to believe that 42 is the answer, then, it simply is. Until something teaches you through moment to moment living that another reality exists - it's unlikely that you will sway from a faith built on parental, cultural or societal teaching. 

I was incredibly lucky that as a child my mother taught me about a lot of religions. I remember when I was sick with rheumatic fever, we had long discussions about faiths, divinity, saints and what it means to be "good." Though we were raised Catholic, my mother wanted us to be versed in every faith, ready to accept and honor the beliefs of everyone we met. When she thought I was dying, she worked particularly hard to expand my mind to the possibilities. 

I think that maybe she did not want me leaving this plain with expectations- she wanted to open me to the possibilities of what might be next. Why end up in Hell, when you might just go to Valhalla? Or maybe you could come back again! Why limit ourselves? She taught me that it was not "religion" that provided answers, but constantly questioning to seek a stronger philosophy of love and goodness was the path in this life. After all that preparation for death, and the actual death itself, I came back ready to ask questions.

That said, I was also raised to believe that "truth" is paramount. My father taught us that honesty is essential to being a good person. His belief (as mine is with my own children) is, "you can do just about anything and I will try to understand, but if you lie to me, then we are going to have some trouble." I can remember many times being questioned on things I might have done. The punishment was always fair, but if I lied about what I had done, I was doubly punished. Stating the truth was considered to be at the core of being a good person.

So, my reality is based on the teaching of my youth. I am open minded that there is not one true answer - and I am always striving to explore my own personal truth. I constantly question, and this is probably how my meditations have become a series of questions followed by listening, rather than just an initiation of silence. My philosophy is that questions should constantly be asked in a never ending quest for the truth.

Over the years I have also noticed that my personal "truth" has changed...so what does that mean about the truth I expressed when I was a child, when I was a teen, when I was a newlywed, when I first met you? What it means to me is that if we are open to the lessons - personal truth changes. If you are taught to be open minded as a child, your truth may shift with the lessons that you learn. If you are taught that there is only one correct answer - well - it is possible you will hold onto it even when all facts point to the contrary.

So Truth? I still have no idea what it's all about - other than every answer seems to end in "love"...but I believe that questions are the journey, and the destination is truth - or as I say all the time, life is a journey, not a destination. Experiencing the world has become a lot more interesting since I returned to asking questions, instead of just falling back on societal truths. I highly recommend it.

The other truth? I have never been so in love as I am with you in this moment! Boy does it feel good getting that off my chest.

Namaste.