I am constantly amazed when I find synthesis between the secular and non-secular worlds. Often this happens in terms of sayings and phrases that people use in order to empower themselves. Mantras if you will. Adam Braun writes, “Speak the language of the person you wish to become.” which aligns with “Be the change you seek” etc. Braun, the founder of Pencils of Promise has five phrases he says can empower your life. In addition to the phrase above he writes, “Challenge your assumptions, so that you can find your truths… If you find your inherent truths you will never be led wrong.” This is one thing I’ve struggled with spiritually and practically over the course of my life.
I struggle with finding my truths and in that I struggle with identifying my purpose beyond what I’ve already done. No, this is not a mid-life crisis. I have struggled with this very thing since I was 12 years old. Back then I thought baseball was the answer. Two years later I thought football was the answer. Since then I have bounced back and forth between a number of possible truths and answers and ideas.
I think it might boil down to something a friend once said. Everything we do is about giving or receiving love. Perhaps a lot of what I do is to seek out love or even to give it. That ought to be an inherent truth. It also might be an assumption.
Some Thoughts:
- Got into a discussion about gender roles in class and was instantly reminded of where I am. I live in AZ where gender stereotyping is so complete that the idea of a boy cooking in an easy bake oven automatically translates into ‘you’re making him soft’. No, I’m making him independent.