Earlier tonight, I was sitting here making up memes. I do this rather frequently actually but would never put them out as such. They are just thoughts that pass through my mind but I recognize that many of them would not be appropriate for blogs. I tend to dig all the way to the roots of things and my "memes" are very challenging that way.
However, anything I do put out, feel free to steal it if you like.. and write about it on your site.
It occurs to me that most of us have one fundamental belief, something we cling to, something that makes the world make sense. It keeps us going through all the craziness, all the tragedy, all the inconsistencies and all the experiences of ourselves and others.
For me, it is the belief that people are inherently good. This is immutable. It can't be changed because without the possibility of redemption, the world makes no sense at all. If we weren't good, we wouldn't be redeemable.
So what is the belief that keeps you sane?
~*
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Continuity....
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
32 comments:
Most of the time, I believe in the inherent goodness of people. But I also think that many of us are so damaged by life that our innate goodness is sometimes hidden.
I will need to give this very interesting idea some thought and get back to you. I would like to think that I have a governing principle, but clarifying it will require some meditation.
Like you, I do believe that people are inherently good and that there is always that truth which is true to me that I try find.
So that personally and professionally I could say I've shared many of my ideas on different things but everyone has to figure out what works for them. If my ideas don't work at least I have succeeded by pushing them in a better direction.
You always make me think and leaves me thinking... :)
Believe it or not... same as yours. I believe in people because I do not believe in a higher power, so I need somewhere to turn.
Like you, I believe that even through all these madness that's been goig on around us there is good in people's heart and all of us dreams for a better tomorrow.
I don't know what I would come up with if I gave it some time and serious thought, but the very first and most immediate thing that came into my mind as I read your post was the word energy....that everything is energy, and that energy is neither created nor destroyed.
I believe that every thing, every person, every relationship, every action and interaction is composed of this universal energy - and this helps me make sense of my world and my experiences in a million different ways.
I'm going to have to think and see if I can articulate this better for my self, but that's what I got so far :)
Right now? It is that "this too shall pass, and maybe it comes back around again later in some form or fashion, but the key is it will pass again, ebb and flow, goes in waves." This works for good and bad. I can enjoy good times, understanding they will end, but it's okay because they'll come back, and weather bad...same thing.
I'm sure that sounds nuts, but eh, it's the baseline.
Julie
Using My Words
I'm with the 'what goes around comes around' club.
My dad used to say something like 'be careful whose fingers you stomp on as you climb the ladder of success because you'll surely meet them again as you slide down the other side.'
Best wishes
This is my calling card or link"Whittereronautism"until blogger comments get themselves sorted out.
Such a great question.
My first thought is that I really believe that as much as our society seems to be falling apart, there are new, beautiful things emerging. I think there's twin processes of deconstruction and construction going on. Our materialistic, individualistically soaked society can only last so long.
God is love.
and if someone, including myself, is behaving in a way that doesn't fit in with that, then it doesn't come from God.
it also helps me to make decisions. what is the choice here that embodies LOVE?
I try to cling to the notion that the Universe will provide. I look to the lessons that I may be learning through hard times and happy ones. I think the world; the infinite is here to teach us.
That no mistake I make can't eventually be recitifed.
I love this question, Chani.
For me, it's the belief that my soul chose to come here with some knowledge of what that would entail.
that people are inherently good is my sane keeping belief as well.
This may sound odd, but it's my belief that ultimately, in the scope of the universe and in the face of eternity, we don't matter.
the world does not make sense to me. Something like what Meno wrote, it's all meaningless. In order not to think about that too much, I go through the motions of creating meaning for myself, by caring about others, looking for beauty...
The very same one, Chani.
I like to think people are inherently good. I dont think that is what keeps me going though. I'm not sure i can answer this one.
These days so many people are sharing with me beliefs that get to the heart of the matter even better, and one of those mantras may edge out my old ones. But the belief that has kept me sane the longest is the belief that everything happens for a reason, everything is as it should be. That includes my being here.
I have a similar faith as you do--that people are good, and that the world makes sense, even if we don't understand it yet.
I believe in the same thing you do. And I also believe we are given the lessons we need to learn, especially when we don't want to learn them. Dammit!
I believe that everything happens for a reason even if we cannot tell what that reason might be, and that there is a purpose and a point to everything, even if it cannot be seen.
i really think it is the same thing that keeps you going--knowing that people at their core are good and want to do good in their lives. today some friends did the most thoughtful things for me. things that moved me so much that my faith in human kindness and love was once again reaffirmed.
It's the same for me... the belief that people are at least a lil bit good inside. Just have to dig a little deeper to find it sometimes. But trying to remember that and believing that they, like me, are ultimately full of love, life and hope, helps keep me going!
I want very much to believe people are inherently good. Sometimes I do. If I truly could, then maybe I wouldn't be so afraid of my own shadow...
Nature is what keeps me sane. I know it's not a belief and that's what you asked us, but that's what comes to mind.
Chani,
The belief that keeps me sane is that I AM INHERENTLY GOOD. Scuse me but fuck the rest of the world. All that really matters is what I think of myself. Thank you for always making me think.
BLAM! Wow. That was like a big slap in the face, Angela!
I cling to the belief that we all have the capacity to change.
Guess I came on a little strong. :) I didn't really mean fuck the rest of the world, I just meant that it doesn't matter to me what I think of anyone else or what anyone else thinks of me, or whether I choose to believe people are inherently good (which I generally believe, but I have also known evil people). What keeps me going is my belief in myself - which has been hard earned and well deserved.
For me, it is the belief that we are all created by a loving God, and that we all carry an imprint of the Divine. People get lost and hurt along the way, but my hope, my belief, is that we will eventually find our way Home. And if we can't... then God will come find us.
Whenever I feel so terrible that I wish I were dead, it comforts me to remember that, eventually, I will be.
I believe that 80 percent of humanity is varying degrees of good, and 20 percent is varying degrees of not so good. This has always been the case, and always will be.I further believe that the 20 percent cause 80 percent of the woes in the world, or as near as your neighborhood.
The thought that 8 out of 10 people are OK keeps me going. Those are good odds.
I found that I had to scrap this entire project called "my life", use the best of who I am, and re-create me. It was then important that I share the experience.
www.define-your-purpose-in-life.com
Post a Comment