Just writing a stream of thought, especially for R, that I'm not sure makes total sense, but here goes...
I'm by no means a theologian or scholar. In fact, I'm quite ignorant and unversed in religious thought (shameful to my private education, I know). I've read about so many religions and different schools of thought. Indeed, you have to know these things to understand themes in art from Hindu sculpture and Buddha heads to Roman sarcophagi and Dutch triptychs. One thing that I'm learning though is the beauty of what religion holds for us.
Organized religion gets a bad rep these days, but if we didn't have faith in something and a structure, I'd personally be anchor-less. At times, I'm on the verge of losing hope, but a strong faith replenishes that spring of hope. Growing in faith is like muscle development for the big leagues. The more you exercise it, the stronger it will be. If I only used a muscle once, it'd probably atrophy.
Some people are born into a nice structure, ie a religious family. Others find their way because of a very deep need intrinsic to Man. I might say that this deep need is a need for God. Others may say something else. Once that need is recognized, how do we fill it? We fill it by placing faith in something or someone, that they will fill us. Faith is a grace. Not everyone has it. Many need to pray for it. It is intangible, elusive, and hard to come by in this skeptical world.
But once you have faith in someone and know they will never let you down, imagine the possibilities! They are endless! When I think about this, I want to jump for joy, dance around, and cry. Faith is a new pair of wings, a jet-pack, a quidditch broom...that can take you places you never fathomed. Of course, those places may not be what you considered 'cool', but this place, here and now, is where you should be at the moment. Make the most of it.
