This I Believe

This I believe:

In preparing my thinking to condense my thoughts to fit the prescribed essay limits, I find that it is most difficult to squeeze my beliefs into such a limited space.

I know that I have an undeniable belief in a “God” that created this space that we occupy. This God also gave us options to conduct ourselves according to our beliefs. I want to believe that we all have faith in something greater than ourselves.

I believe that there must be a higher purpose for this experiment we call life. I want to believe that we are all part of the family of man and through trial and error we are meant to discover just how little we differ from one another. I doubt that this understanding will occur during my lifetime, but I hope that I am contributing to the outcome.

I struggle to understand the negative conditions that exist in this world and occasionally find myself questioning my faith. I struggle to keep the faith and remain optimistic for our future.

In living my daily life I strive to set the proper example and treat others as I would expect to be treated. I take enjoyment in small things that convince me there is a purpose and we are part of the grander scheme of things. Where and when possible I try to contribute to those exchanges that may give others the opportunity to take pleasure in their life. When I have a bad day, I try to recognize that it is within me to turn it around and make it right.

I find that I am deeply saddened by man’s inhumanity to man. I am at a loss to make this fit into my belief system and yet I can not deny that it is prevalent and pervasive. I worry about the conditions over which I have little control and find myself silently praying for those conditions to improve. I am alarmed by the daily news with all the dreadful reports of famine, tsunami, disaster, death, war, poverty, pain, and suffering. So I resort to my silent prayer frequently in the hopes that it will make a difference.

In spite of my misgivings, I trust that whatever this experiment of life is about will remain a mystery to me until I pass from this phase into the next. I hope that there is more to this than what we are experiencing on the surface. I dearly love my family and fellow man and wish to think that we earn our place in the universe and realize our potential at some point. I hope that I will recognize this transformation and that I will have contributed all that was mine to give.