Introduction!

Online journal? Discussion starters? My life journey? All of the above!

One of my favorite things in life is thinking about stuff. I love sharing what I come up with and I love discussing things with others. We don't have to agree - in fact, its probably more fun and educational if we don't!

Yes, we could all stay in our comfort zones. Hold on to our parents' beliefs, our family political ideology, our particular church's view of God. But what would that do for anybody? Got to grow up sometime, and that means setting aside the traditional lens through which we see the world and opening ourselves up to discovery - even about tried and true, cherished childhood beliefs.

I find myself on that journey of discovery. Too much of life seems to consist of clinging like crazy to tradition. For me, I'm finding out that letting go of what someone else told me is true, and searching it out for myself, is very satisfying and fulfilling.

Sometimes that means mother wasn't always right about cleaning my plate. It could mean that just because the candidate isn't from my party doesn't make him wrong or a monster out to trash everything we hold dear. Or it could mean that I can't use a second hand God... Just because the pastor says so, doesn't make it true!

I've also become disillusioned with the divisions humans seem to make out of everything. Got to make everything into a competition. I'm right, you're wrong. My group's way or the highway to hell. If you're not in my group then God is not on your side.

I just don't envision God loving division. "Hear O Israel, our God is One!" And He is. I don't think He gets all bent out of shape because this one sees Him this way and that one sees Him another way. I don't think He clucks over Mormons or shakes His head over Catholic ritual, or cries when Jews gather for Rosh Hoshanna. I don't think He's keeping a list of who's doing what to whom, when and how many times. That's a human response - not a divine one. We wield the cookie cutters, not Him.

So that's where I am now. We're all in this together. Come talk, discuss, share and laugh with me!
Mama Willow