Are You There God? It’s me, Sheila
My Evolution
filed in Are you there God? on Dec.13, 2008
You know God, it’s funny. I started this blog in hopes I could add to our college fund for the kids, knowing that what we had already saved was wiped out on 9/11 and the latest economic down-slide.
Well, jokes on me God, that’s not panning out. But it’s funny because in the process I’ve gained much more….I’ve met so many people from all walks of life, many countrys and many religions.
Let me tell you about what I’ve learned about people since I’ve been blogging and how I’m applying this in my own life. You see, I’ve always been on a never-ending quest to ‘find myself’, to understand ‘the evolution of me’. What makes me tick, what makes me…me. To sit in silence and know who is in my skin. To learn about the world, the universe and in the process learn about me. I’m glad so far that’s it is ‘neverending’, because if it ended…um…I guess that would mean I’d be…uh, dead. And I’m just too busy to die right now, I’ve got wayyyy to many things to do.
Thru blogging, I’ve met Christians, and Mormons, and Pagans, and Buddhists, Agnostics and Jews (sounds like that one song about a puppet, a poet, a pauper, a pirate, a pawn and a king) Anyhow….I find it to be the most incredible experience to have been able to have crossed paths with all these different people.
Sooo many people that I otherwise would have never met in this lifetime. Some I find a common interest with, some nothing at all in common. Sometimes I find a laugh or shed a tear, feel consoled or try to console another. Other times I come across something I was just contemplating which makes it a bit strange, as if fate had pointed me in that direction.
I’ve seen the world through the beautiful eyes of these people, through their incredible lens, their wonderful hearts. It’s very uplifting. It’s as if we are all intertwined in some big ball of string sharing a turn at untying a knot.
From dealing with illness to disabilities to depression, people losing long time jobs and spouses going off to war. To see people who are living on the streets…well…suddenly…complaining about my heating bill seems stupid. I’ve learned that sometimes my trivial concerns are just that, trivial.
So here’s all these different people, that I know in real life, and ‘internet life’….and all these different beliefs and I just can’t help but wonder what your ‘take’ is on all this. I wonder how you feel about so many people believing so many different things, all in your name…believing they are the ‘right ones’. I guess it’s sorta like parents having a bunch of kids and they all think that mom ‘likes them best’.
Now, for me, I was born into one religion, raised in another, and now…I’m feeling a lot like there isn’t one ‘right’ one. That everyone is somehow finding their way by taking a different path. We’ll all meet up in the same place in the end but how we get there is entirely up to the individual. I completely admire people who have a deep devotion to their organized religions….yet for myself I’m going to take the path of looking more….within.
I guess the first step in ‘the evolution of me’ is to actually say that out loud. I cannot fathom the idea that ANY of these wonderful people all over the world (or myself for that matter) are somehow ‘wrong’. I prefer to believe that we’re all right in some aspect and wrong in others. Who knows. (well, I mean, except You, of course)
I’ll tell ya God, it’s pretty cool that something so impersonal such as a computer…a cold piece of equipment…can bring the world together in such fine fashion. To mix and mingle and see people you would have never met otherwise. To be touched by and to touch others.
Blogging is a “b-e-a-utiful” thing! And….if I find a part of ‘me’ along the way, that’s even more sweeter!













December 13th, 2008 on 10:39 am
Great post & something I think about often. Even if there was just one religion, everyone would look at it differently and get what they need to get from it. So I can’t say that one is above the other. God knows where are hearts are & I believe, in the end, that’s all that matters. Religion, in my opinion, is man made. God is God, no matter what religion you are. ;o)
AmyG’s last blog post..An Encouraging Word
December 13th, 2008 on 11:39 am
Nice post!
I believe all religions are basically the same. The rules are all the same, the commandments are the same. The approaches differ markedly when you get to the subjects of souls, salvation, religious authority, devout behavior, even sometimes -within- the same religion. (i.e. Opus Dei is Catholic and so am I, but I have nothing in common with their approach to the devout life.) But you wouldn’t necessarily recognize the similarities just from interacting with people; the rules to treat people decently, respect their property, feed the poor, et. al. are all the same. If you study IN DEPTH, the stories run together and the similarities are powerful and striking… both Moses and Krishna went up a mountain to encounter God, both Jesus and Buddha “ascended”–etc. (Even Buddha and Jesus’ mothers have similar names, Mary and Maya.) If you study them a lot, it is obvious (to me) that they all have a common ancestor, just as humans and other primates have a common ancestor… in fact, it probably goes back that far. I think humans are genetically wired to enjoy ritual (even a rock or hip-hop concert is a ritual) and this desire was wedded to morality to produce religion, and evolved, like you say.
If you think all religions have common roots, it is impossible to get ‘angry’ with other religions. However, if you think you are “special”–as all fundamentalists do, you can’t usually subscribe to this theory. But fundamentalism can be enacted regardless of faith, politics (i.e. Stalin and Pol Pot were political fundamentalists) or type of belief. Again, these are just my opinions!
Thanks for letting me blather on.
PS: I just finished reading ON THE COUCH by Lorraine Bracco, and just realized you look exactly like Dr Melfi!
DaisyDeadhead’s last blog post..Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe
December 13th, 2008 on 2:24 pm
What a great insightful post. And I agree I think religion and each person’s relationship with god are all unique and extremely personal.
I have been blogging just a few short months but I love how I feel like I know so much more, appreciate what I have more and more and love learning about different things, people, cultures. Its a great expereince and I am so glad that both you and I blog!
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December 13th, 2008 on 11:57 pm
Great post! It really is amazing how we come together via computers in ways that would just not be possible otherwise. And as for religion, yikes, that’s a complicated piece of business. I like your take on it. I’ve never been one to follow the herd, so I look more to myself for spirituality. Not saying any other way is wrong, to each their own, but the organized route is just not for me.
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December 14th, 2008 on 1:35 am
Having kids — it’s better than you ever dreamed, and worse than you ever thought. But blogging is 10,000 times better than I ever dreamed possible with no downside (yet.) Except that I wish I could do it 10 hours a day, which I may when I am an old lady.
I turn away no religion, race or nationality either, as long as they are respectful on my blog. And everybody’s been soooo freaking nice so far, it’s kinda scary.
The written word is unbelievably moving and powerful.
And dang, I’m tired. Good night!
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December 14th, 2008 on 6:15 pm
Internet= Good Thing
December 14th, 2008 on 11:29 pm
This is a wonderful post Sheila and so well written! I love reading what you have to say and the way you write it all seems to just inspire me!
I also find it really neat that through this piece of equipment called my computer, I have found some of the best friends I have ever had. To think that I would have never met them without it makes me really sad! I also enjoy reading others POV because a lot of the time it really gives me a new and better way to look at things!
Oh and I have to add “And I’m just too busy to die right now, I’ve got wayyyy to many things to do.” this made me LMAO! I totally feel like this right now!
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December 15th, 2008 on 9:42 am
great post. i’ll drink to that
cheers sheila! the world is a better place because of people like you.
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December 15th, 2008 on 2:13 pm
This is such an AWESOME post. I consider myself lucky to have met you through blogging. ((hug))
December 16th, 2008 on 12:17 am
Wow. You never fail to impress and humble me, my friend and soul sistah!
Funny that we both had the same idea on the same day.
I guess we don’t have to work too hard to figure out where we knew each other “before” this place and time.
I think your insight is dead on. Different messengers for people who need to hear the messages in a slightly different way. Certainly the Creator would be all knowing enough to recognize the need for diverse thinking people to have the message delivered in a bit of a different format.
Like my favorite bumper sticker says, “God bless everyone, no exceptions”.
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