Getting Started

And so it begins...

I've never blogged.  I've never even really journaled.  But, I'm fascinated by the idea and I have a lot of big questions floating around my mind.  With a husband and three small children, a full-time job, and lots of community involvement, I don't make time for those bigger questions.  For some reason, lately, those questions are growing louder and louder and I know I need to take the time to make sense of them.  That's just the way my mind works.  Those ideas, thoughts, questions, dreams will get louder until they drown out everything else.  So, I'm at a point in my life where I don't want to drown out what is currently important  - my family, my work, my faith.  The good news is most of the questions pushing their way around my mind are connected to these three priorities, mostly my family and my faith.

Let's start with this question first:  

Can I be devoted to God and devoted to my family at the same time?

I had a conversation with my father the other day about those individuals I admire for their strongly rooted faith and seemingly divine connection with God - the Dalai Lama, Mother Teresa, Saint Angela Merici, Elizabeth Gilbert (tentatively).  I admire their ability to find peace in and with themselves, to pray and meditate devoutly, to transcend the complexities of their minds and this world.  I admire their ability to see other religious points of view without disdain, animosity, or superiority.  I love their ability to connect people across cultures and across faith traditions to focus on the needs of those less fortunate than ourselves.  These people embody everything I think my faith should be.  The trouble is "all these people" don't have families.

When the rubber hits the road, I don't have 1-2 hours to meditate or pray, I can't leave my family and job to travel to an Ashram for 3 months, I can't immerse myself in research and reading the teachings of Buddhist and Hindu monks, Yogics, or other enlightened souls.  So, how do I achieve the depth of faith that these role models have?  Better still, how do I do this in a way that my family can learn from me and share in this faith connection?  Are these ideals (focus on family and depth of faith) really at odds with one another?

I told you, lots of big questions...and the answers to these will come another day.