the alchemist

Today I finished "The Alchemist" by Paulo Coelho. It's a short read. I finished it before I even got a chance to update my book list. I enjoyed it so much I think I'll read it again. I would recommend it to anyone. I'd like to say more about it but lately I just don't feel like writing.... I'll write on the weekend, but right now I'm tired. It's been a hard week. But I've got stuff on the brain and I do plan on regurgitating some of it for all y'all.

Go read the alchemist. brilliant.

author of the loophole

Noah should have had a lawyer present when that rainbow showed up. God said He would never again flood the WHOLE earth, but lets face it, He didn't say anything about flooding certain parts of the earth, or tsunamis or earthquakes for that matter. Instead of blaming God for these natural disasters, we should be blaming Noah for not seeking legal counsel and demanding a written contract.

humans

I spent the day trying to see the divinity in people. Trying to peer through the shroud of humanity into the part of people that is eternal. Of course it's not visible, at least not to my eye, but trying to see them in that way changed the way I felt about them.

Normally I find humans quite irritating, but today less so. I even experienced.... affection... and interest. I think because viewing people as decieved divinity enables me to have compassion, and to wonder how they would react if they understood how special they truly are.

This is not a huge departure from "humans as children of God" theology with which I was raised.... it's just different enough from christianity to come across as heresy. I think that, through my reading into christian mysticism, I was heading this way already. When I think about it, it makes sense... the kingdom of God makes sense. Of course the kingdom of God is present wherever his people do his work.... of course we are his hands and his feet, of course feeding and clothing "the least" is the same as feeding and clothing Christ. Still, my training makes me balk at thinking of people as "God," and I feel that someting is missing.

I prefer to think that humans each have a piece of God in them, just enough that I suppose I could be justified in saying that they are indeed divine. As I was thinking about these things I was reminded about what it said in thomas, about making the outside match the inside. If you can find that piece of God inside, and bring your outside into submission to that.....

I'm too tired to finish that thought. I do know that I'd like to continue trying to see people in this way, as some extension of God, only deluded into thinking they are merely creatures on earth. With some people it's easier than others, but I think that compassion would be far less toxic than irritation.

I'll sleep on it. By the way, those of you who meditate..... do you ever find yourself feeling like you're tipped over sideways, only to open your eyes and realize that your still sitting straight up? Weird sensation.