Today, I felt the need to write, but I didn't know what about. So, I knew that Jason's friend Tim was in need of some help getting some thoughts down on paper regarding life and Christianity. Now, I was raised Catholic, and although it is a Christian faith, it is far less Jesus-centric than what most Christian sects favor. I think of Jesus more in a prophetic way; God is the important aspect for me. But, I digress... It was hard to think of specifically Christian-based ideas and prompts. Thank goodness for the internet and Google. So, I picked out a few prompt words and quotes and went with it. There's no real point to this... I just felt like doing a free-write, but I hope that it can be of some use to Tim.
Hope
I believe that God is an optimist. He sees the good in people. And, because of that, he wills us to do the same. He encourages us to look to the positive. He gives us the strength to hold onto our goals and dreams in face of obstacles outside our control. He allows us to have faith in ourselves, our ideas, and our future. He gave us hope so that we would have faith in our choices and a light at the end of the tunnel of adversity. He gave us hope to battle despair. Hope was placed in our hearts to help guard us through the hard times. Hope is the armor that God gave us to be strong and keep moving forward.
Inspiration
“You are rewarding a teacher poorly if you remain always a pupil.” - Friedrich Nietzsche
Now, it may seem odd to quote someone labeled as an Atheist or a Nihilist… But, I think that it doesn’t matter. God shaped us all with different minds and goals and lives and histories. A simple label should not be the only identification of a man. We are all more complex than that. God gave us free will and the ability to question the world around us. Nietzsche did just that. And, of his many insights, he commented that we can not always remain students – We must also teach. The inspiration that God has instilled within us must also be given back to the masses. We need to give as much of ourselves and our thoughts and ideas and creations, as our teachers and forefathers and Jesus have given to us. True inspiration should be shared, appreciated, and nurtured into fruition.
Friendship
"Forsake not an old friend; for the new is not comparable to him: a new friend is as new wine; when it is old, thou shall drink it with pleasure." - Sirach 9:10
“A mirror reflects a man's face, but what he is really like is shown by the kind of friends he chooses." - Proverbs 27:19
Friends fill needs in our lives. They come and go as our needs change, or as theirs do. To look at your friends is to see a reflection of yourself, lifestyle, needs, goals, and so forth. As we ourselves change and grow, so do our needs. And, consequently, either our friends grow with us or away from us. Do not lament the loss of a friend. Instead, acknowledge that their path is different than yours right now, and that perhaps you may meet up again in the future. But, for those friends that grow with you; you are entwined in life, and the shared experiences will only draw you closer in respect, understanding and love for each other. The strongest friendships are those that grow together, instead of apart. And, I cannot think of a better way to spend an evening than with an old friend over a glass of wine.
