And the only thing constant, is change.

It's incredible to think about my transformation when it comes to my faith. There is nothing else in my life in which I've experienced such evolution. Spirituality is such a personal thing. If it is not evolving, than you must not be changing. If you are not changing, than you cannot be a human being. We are constantly experiencing new things. We are forced to deal with the good and the bad in our life. Grief comes to us. Joy comes to us. We will continue to experience both. Our situations change. As we grow older we realize more and more that we do not have the power to control everything that happens. These situational changes impact perspective as well. They mold our worldview. New ideas will form in our minds, contradicting ideas of the past. We have to embrace them, not run from them. We cannot be afraid, but rather, we have to acknowledge them from a sincere place and reevaluate how we feel. This is detrimental to our growth. If we seek wisdom, we must be willing to put ourselves in a place of vulnerability and uncertainty. John and Peter explained, "What we have seen and heard we declare to you so that you, too, can have fellowship with us." (1 John 1:3) I, too, can only speak from my experience. I can only derive understanding from that which I have seen and heard. My story is unique to everyone. I refuse to be placed in a box. I refuse to follow the religious "trends" because they are "trends" rather than "Truth". I refuse to put a religious 'celebrity' on a pedestal, and work to mirror my life and values after him. I may be tempted to do these things, but I hope I will be held accountable by other truth-seekers around me. I hope rather than petty arguments, people will begin to look at their own lives and do some evaluation. If everyone could simply begin to ask the question, "WHY?", this world may be a better place. Why do you believe the things you do? Why do you make the choices you make? Why do you feel the way you feel? Are your thoughts and actions coming from a sincere place, or are you reacting out of stubbornness, and a refusal to question other possibilities? Being open-minded does not mean you are sacrificing your values. An open mind allows you to see the much greater picture outside of yourself. It creates a space for you to ponder, and acknowledge new discoveries-discovery of self, discovery of nature, discovery of God. Right now the easiest way for me to connect to my Creator is through Creation. It is the only thing that makes the most sense to me right now. My mind may be flooded with "what if's" and "how come's", but nature is tangible. It is a spiritual fingerprint that is easily recognizable. It moves, it flows, it changes, and it breathes. I step into it and my own breath joins its rhythm. It doesn't quarrel with me, or push its agenda. It draws me in with a welcoming presence. It reminds me of my smallness, and I feel secure and safe in its tranquility. It is my House of worship. Like nature, I too have the ability to change and adapt. What a beautiful, sacred thing. As I go into this new year, my hope is that I will walk boldly in humility. I hope that I will enter into every conversation with an open mind, and a sincere heart. I hope that I will let some walls down, and live outside of my fear. I hope that I will continue to seek wisdom, without assumption. I suppose these are my only resolutions. Learn. Grow. Live!