Faith

I seem to be using this blog to post a number of my views on concepts that some people would consider big, meaningful things. To me, this is just the kind of rambling that goes on in my mind. I really have no idea if anyone else contemplates this kind of stuff while they are sitting on the bus, or playing cards on the computer, or any other activity that doesn't really require a whole lot of brain power. One thing I would like to say, before I launch into today's topic, is that, whether what I'm writing about is serious, or a rant, or just a random list of things, I want to know what you think about it. Please, leave comments with any of your thoughts on any of my posts. They don't have to be terribly serious, but I could use some feedback on my writing style, and content. I will be giving out prizes to the person who leaves the most helpful comments each week. (That's right, I'm bribing you.)

Now that that has been taken care of, on to today's Heavy topic.

Faith. That word means a lot of different things to a lot of different people. To many it means a belief in God, and trusting that God will get you through the tough times if you let him/her/it. To others it can mean simply trusting that if you continue on, things will get better. It is a word most used when times are tough, in phrases like "Have a little faith" that are uttered to encourage you to stick it out just that little bit longer.

To me, Faith is something very important. I have a great deal of Faith. I believe that tough times will come, as will good, and that the two are tied together in a cycle. Faith is what will get us through both. Yes, there will be tough times, but the good will always come around again if you believe it will. Last night I watched a documentary on PBS called "Rethinking Happiness" and it spoke heavily of the power or positive thinking. The stories in this documentary were of people who had been through unimaginable horrors, or were simply at a tough point in their lives, struggling in the economic downturn that took over last year. It was their positive thinking, knowing that things would get better, that it would be okay if they muddled through, that got them out of bed every day.

To me, positive thinking and Faith are the same thing. It's a cloudy day out today, yes, but tomorrow or the next day it will be sunny. So for today, just for today, as the poem goes, I will cope with it being cloudy, and so will you, and why? Because we know that it can't be cloudy every day. It's entirely possible for it to be cloudy every day, scientifically speaking, it could happen. We could get up and go "oh god, it's so gray and dim. It's all so dismal out there" and go about our day with that kind of attitude, or we can have a little Faith, and trust that yes, today sucks, but tomorrow will be better.

A lot of people tie Faith to religion. Personally, I don't see the need. I know I have Faith, in the goodness of people, in the likelihood that the sun will come out, and yes, even in a higher power. I don't need religion to tell me that. I can survive without it. I have my Faith, my positivity, my optimism, and that is all I need to get me through the day.

I think that everyone needs to have Faith in something, anything really.

Lisa

"I don't care what you believe in, just believe it!"
-Shepard Book- Serenity- 2005