Brian’s Reflection: Wednesday, August 25, 2010

It is the want to know the end that
makes us believe in God, or witchcraft -
believe, at least, in something.

Truman Capote, author; he died on
this date, 1984, age 59


Perhaps. But it isn’t that simple – and I think that Truman knew that. But, we all write things to make a point. Jesus certainly did, as did/do other great teachers; they focus on one aspect to make the point. One can’t say everything about or deal with every aspect of an issue or question.

“The end”. There are very few people who want “the end’ to be bad or ugly or painful, etc. Oh, there are lots of religions that propose a God Who will make it that if we don’t shape up and be Good! But I think very few people really believe in such a God or “Hell”! Most people are not so masochistic or self-hating. Most people want “Happily Ever After”. And it certainly does help us to get on with our Life here on the Earth if we have some sense that in the end it will all work out OK, usually with a combination of effort on our part and a pile of “grace” from the Deity.

I have come to the place where I don’t really need to know what “comes after”. It could be Bliss or it could be Nothing or it could be any number of things. What I do need is to believe that I can do my best to make this wonderful Life we have been “given” as caring and loving and wondrous as it can be, in the face of both the wonder and the suffering that Life can hold. For me, and for as many others as I can embrace.

Brian+