Since my gift seems to be learning about deep, philosophical questions, I can walk the path of my gift by exploring and researching spiritual and philosophical ideas, sharing what I learn with others who are interested.

Well, it might not be today, but when we run out, I might make my parents some more of the Tahitian coconut bread I made the other day.

I stand for love. Love of God, love of neighbor (including and especially those we may not get along with and those who are different from us), and love of self.

Right now, I am experiencing a hope that has been missing for awhile. I really do feel some genuine hope right now that a situation in my life is getting better and that liberation will be here before I know it!

I have no idea. The other night, I dreamt that I was pretending to be an extraterrestrial trying trying to escape a group of humans who wanted to capture me. Eventually, I emerged to teach humans to love each other, to forgive, and to stop putting surveillance on one creature (me) just because they don’t like being surveilled themselves. I have no idea what that means. I might have eaten something weird.

My speculation is that life is a process of schooling in which we learn how to love God, neighbor, and self and learn how to forgive others, as well as ourselves. All of us are sent here with specific special missions that help us to learn these lessons and/or teach them to others.

When I see the beauty of all creatures and of the ecosystems of the earth and find myself in a state of wonder at those, it inspires me to want to work for systemic change so that we do not destroy the amazing gift we currently have. I don’t know how, but I would really like to do something to help us move toward alternative energy and forms of technology that preserve life, rather than destroy it.

I’ve been holding on to my need to have answers to the deep questions of life. To let go of the need to know the answers to everything immediately would relieve me of my constant obsessing and give me some space to shut my mind off for awhile.

Today, I am grateful to be starting a class on how family is constructed in the biblical world. God-willing, this class will help me to learn how to apply the insights and wisdom of the biblical text into my own ethical and spiritual life.

Recently, I was struggling with the question of whether religion has any merit or not. After studying some near-death experiences, however, in which the experiencer was told that every religion is a valid path to the sacred, I have become comfortable with viewing all religions as valid. I am now ready to continue borrowing and blending from different religions in my own spiritual practice.

If I really believed I had everything I need, I would continue living as I am now but without all the emotional worrying.

Today, I am grateful to be getting back to my spiritual practice. I haven’t prayed or worked on my vision board or anything in a while, so it’s good to be getting back to that.

A little obsessive, but well enough to continue with my daily exercise routine.

When I see myself as tied to the interdependent web of existence, I feel moved to learn more about the history of the evolution of the universe, as well as the behaviors of animals and the history of survival and extinction of various species, as I feel that knowing such information can help me to see where I belong as part of the web of existence.

The notion that every experience and happening in life is a potential blessing can help me lean into life as it is. This helps me remember that all joys and difficulties of life are opportunities for growth, wisdom, and gaining compassion.

Even as I busily work on my schoolwork for these last couple weeks, I can remember the gifts of this day by remembering the fact that I am alive and have a brain that is functioning and developing through it all. That is a very profound reality when I think of it. Electrical signals and neurons and influencing and being influenced by my conscious decisions, thoughts, and experiences! That’s incredible!

Being stuck in my head all the time hinders me from fully living into and acting on what matters. Being present to what is happening in the moment and what needs to be done right now helps me.

My struggles with anxiety and depression have helped me to develop resilience during difficult times. I’ve learned to see hope for the future where it is difficult and have learned to be appreciative of the good days I have.

Years ago, I went through a spiritual crisis where I had questions about some of the scary passages in the Bible. While it wasn’t pleasant at the time, the questions I had eventually led me to learn all about world religions, science, psychology, philosophy, spirituality, political sociology, and various other matters. I have gained a great deal of knowledge and wisdom since I had that struggle because of where my questions led me.

When I live gratefully, I feel called to appreciate every moment in life for the wonder that is truly present all the time. Above all the noise and tumult of our lives, the beauty of galaxies and stars hovers above our busy lives, and the moon and sun remain in the sky, regardless of what we’re going through. This matters because it can be difficult to see beauty when we’re stuck in our own hectic lives without paying attention to the wonder all around us.