For the Love of Humanity: For the Love of God

For the past few months I've been questioning my faith.  Not in the way that you would usually think but in a deep and loving journey that questions how you really become closer to God.  And what I've discovered is something far from what I ever expected. After delving into the beliefs of the three major world religions, I've come to realize that we all have more beliefs in common than we might think.

Once I returned from Morocco I struggled with the predisposition that so many of us have about the Muslim faith.   After meeting a sizable portion of Moroccans and hearing the entrancing call to prayer five times a day,  I couldn't shake the feeling that so many of us have stereotyped them due to a small, wreckless, and evil portion of their population.  For the past few months I've watched countless documentaries and read books regarding their beliefs and what I found was astounding.  The similarities between Christianity, Islam, and Judaism are all rooted in Father Abraham.  Ceremonies surrounding the Haj (the pilgrimage to Mecca that Muslims take at the end every Islam calendar year) are entirely based around the journeys and life of Abraham, his two sons, and his wife Haggar.  I'm sure I'm not the first one to know this, however to me it was simply shocking.

I was eleven years old when every heart in America stopped on 9/11.  I witnessed the horror on television that day and I never understood how a group of people could have such evil residing in them. Lacking any other knowledge about this strange sect, I automatically assumed if one group of Muslims wanted murder innocent Americans, then they all did.  I remember myself and some of my close friends and family saying things like "let's just nuke them!'.  Because that would indeed solve all of our problems: more killing.  There is no good way to fight a religious battle.

Of course this is a story as old as time itself. During one of the great enlightenment periods in Alexandria, Christianity was a new and rampant faith that was overtaking Egypt along with the whole of the Roman empire.  Christians, Jews, and people of the Roman faith resided in one place where there was constant violence and oppression between all three.

The famous philosopher Hypatia was a woman that lead many in her quest to discover the constellations of the stars and determine the shape of the path of the earth around the sun (the ellipse).  Her contributions to science including the astrolabe where unrivaled in that time period.  However there was one glaring problem that no one in Alexandria could deny when it came time: she was not of any faith. So, naturally they labeled her as a witch, due to the sheer fact that she only lay her beliefs in philosophy.  Not only that, but she was a woman that men took counsel from and this was something that was not acceptable to the Christian high priests. One evening Hypatia was taken from here home, unceremoniously stripped of her clothing, and brutally murdered in the streets of Alexandria... by "Christians".  I was dumbfounded that something like this could occur only one hundred some years after Jesus' death.  This would only be followed by the crusades some hundreds of years later where more "christians" murdered thousands of innocent jews and muslims. So you see, all faiths have gone through periods of irrational, evil behavior.

Even today the battle continues in the Holy city of Jerusalem for control over some of the most important religious sites.  For example, the Temple Mount that is currently used for Friday worship by Muslims is directly above the West Wall in which the Jewish congregation travels to at exactly the same time on Friday afternoon to pray.  Then, only blocks away their is Jesus' path of sorrows where he took his last steps on his way to crucifixion.  Christians go there now to reflect on the last moments of his mortal life.

Now through all of this new knowledge, I cannot give up my belief in Jesus Christ due to the sheer fact that what he taught was not followed by these "christians"who gave into evil and murder.  Because to kill another human being is like killing God himself.  However I've also come to believe that if we can put aside our hatred for each other and try to understand what other faiths believe and why, we would realize that all of us put our faith in one God and we just want to be closer to Him.  Then and only then would the violence and confusion simply desist. If we continue to give into hatred, stereotyping, and mindless killing then we are giving up everything that our faith stands for. And then, we give up God all together.

It is truly my personal belief that there are many ways to receive salvation.  Because if your heart is pure and your intentions are good how could God turn you away from such a gift?  How could He deny entry into paradise purely because you were raised to follow a certain faith that is really not so different from another?

Perhaps knowing God is not just about following the religion that you were put on this earth to believe.  Perhaps knowing, understanding, and unconditionally loving humanity is to know, love, and understand God.

The Ties that Bind

Graduation is over.  I start work in a week and all of my fears, worries, and regrets have subsided to the point that not one negative thought has entered my mind in three weeks.... It's a strange feeling to have everything fall perfectly into place in a matter of days, but you won't hear any complaints from me.  As I expressed in my last post, I am staying in Atlanta but I'm incredibly happy with my decision based on many things that happened in the past month.

Last week, my family traveled from all over the country to watch me take my next steps into a new life: California, Texas, Arkansas, and Colorado just to know name a few. One evening after the graduation ceremony we gathered in my living room and spontaneously broke out in dancing, singing, and laughter.  My 92-year-old grandmother even jumped in with some classic disco moves.  In that moment I realized that I really was the luckiest girl in the world.  This group of people can find the joy in the smallest things and whenever we are together whatever worries I have unceremoniously fall away.  I can't express how very thankful I am for each and every one of them or fathom what I would do without them.  

Although we are separated by hundreds of miles, I know that we would go or do anything for each other and even if things don't work out as planned I will have an infinite amount of hands to catch me if I fall.   And for that reason, I am so incredibly blessed.

Love,
Your Blessed 20-Something
XOXO

Grow Where You're Planted

Today I realized something that could completely alter my beliefs about the state of Georgia.  For the past few months, I had been making every effort to evacuate and run as far away as possible the minute graduation rolled around.  Los Angeles, Phoenix, London- whatever, I didn't care I just craved a change in scenery.  A new and foreign playground to explore, taste, and revel in.  But maybe what I really needed was a change in perspective.

Sure, I've lived here my whole life and yeah a new place would be a great adventure.  But something hit me: I have been in a rut about the places in which I reside. Now when I say reside, I mean live, work, and play.  Except the only "playing" I've consistently taken advantage of has involved parties and bar hopping which is fun only up to a certain point- then it's just exhausting.  Why is it that sometimes traveling to new places seems like the only way to experience new things?

I have lived in Atlanta my whole life and I had never been on the Chattahoochee River until today. I mean come on! This beautiful little oasis of sunlight, Georgia pines, and lyrical rushing waters was twenty minutes from my front door! And what have I been doing? Sitting out of the explorer game and wishing I was back in Morocco: or daydreaming about learning to surf in Los Angeles. These dreams are great! But I needed to realize that I don't have to pick up and move across the country to discover the enchanting world around me.

So, Yes. I'm going to stay in the beautiful state of Georgia, but from now on I'll think about my backyard a little differently.

P.S. I have a wonderful new job! I start in two weeks and everything seems to be coming together perfectly! Psh all that worrying for nothing!

Love,

Your 20-Something Backyard Explorer XOXO

World Traveler Hits High Tide For Change

Okayyy, So it's been a while since I last wrote to say the least.  SO much
has changed in the past three months: but in a glaring, positive light.  Sure, I'm still having those post-graduation freak outs every once in a while. However I'm more optimistic and enthralled with the options that lie ahead of me than I ever have been.

For the sake of playing catch-up I will just say this: the last months of college and time spent with my closest friends was incredible and something that I will always cherish.  Although we may have to go our separate ways to begin our new lives, I know these people that I love so much will always be in my life no matter how many miles are between us.

In the midst of all the craziness, I got a wonderful life-altering surprise about two weeks before final exams.  My Aunt surprised me with a National Geographic photography trip.  Originally my aunt had planned to accompany her daughter but was unable to come through so she offered to let me go in her place.  I was ecstatic, but I never thought that this one ten day trip could change my perspective of the world so deeply.

Morocco was unlike any place I had ever been before.  Exotic, pungent, and utterly beautiful in it's own way, the culture there opened my eyes in ways I never thought possible. As soon as I stepped off the plane I was inundated with a completely different world.  As I wondered through the airport in Casablanca I found myself amidst people from literally everywhere: France, Italy, Australia, and Great Britain just to name a few.

While in country, two moments stand out to me as I reminisce.  The first day that I arrived we took a trip the famous mosque in Casablanca and took photographs of the radiating sunset.  While I walked through this massive courtyard in front of the mosque I realized even though the religions and cultures of this place were contradictory to anything I'd ever witnessed, these people were real and just like us.   Women walked in stylish groups and laughed with each other while couples strolled hand in hand with the children rough housing and misbehaving at their side.  Traveling forces one to realize that even though our beliefs and customs are different, our hearts beat as one (cheesy I know).

The second moment was a night we spent in the Sahara desert.  We took a camel ride at sunset and it was perhaps the most beautiful thing I had ever seen.  Words cannot describe the ultimate peace and spirituality I felt at that moment.  With civilization so far away and nothing but the faint whisper of the desert wind in my ears I came to a point of ultimate clarity and it was this: This life isn't about how much you accomplish professionally or how many designer shoes you can buy, it is about the experiences, the people, and the places you see.

I will have more details/ pictures later.  But for now I will just leave you with that thought.

Love your 20-something World traveler,
XOXO

Letting Go

In the spirit of Easter, I wanted to take a brief moment to talk about letting go.  In yoga class this week we meditated on this idea that we all have something we are holding onto that perhaps we need to just give up with and move on from.  Whether it's an ex, or that job/internship that you just have to have, or maybe even an idea about how your life is supposed to be going: forgive them, think about another day, and let go of that perfect vision you have in your mind.

I struggled so much this year with all the pressures of trying to choose a career path.  Finally I gave up on this illusion that I had to have it all figured out and to be honest, I think my future has found me.  Opportunities have opened up to me in the past week that I never thought I would be worthy of receiving.

As far as the personal life goes, it has been a trying time.  Forgiveness is hard to give out so freely, but I believe it's the only way you can truly move on from something.

But, seriously: Life can sometimes feel completely out of our control. Like no matter how hard we try, we just cannot seem to keep it all together.  Maybe, just maybe we have to let go of whatever it is that we're holding onto so tightly and take it day-by-day: enjoying the small things and being thankful for the air that still fills our lungs and the oxygen that still pulses through our veins: Feel that? That's purpose. And that is something to hold onto.

Love, Your 20-Something Forgiver XOXO

Ready for a Little Adventure

Last week I had interview with one of the companies I'm very interested in working for.  Unfortunately this job would require to move half-way across the country to Scottsdale, Arizona.  As much as I am ready for a change, it is going to be extremely tough to completely uproot my life and leave all my loved ones for my career. 

They are now performing a background check- which I am told is a very good sign.  And hopefully my one speeding ticket won't deter them from giving me an offer!  

When I first received notice of this I was ecstatic.  I started looking for apartments and researching the community (lots of golf courses!! Woo!) and I emailed my mentor.  She shot me back a message immediately with praise and a list of questions to consider while I'm making such a monumental decision.  

• Are you set on sales? What about your passion for social?
• Do you know anyone in Arizona?
• This is not a job change. It is a life change.
• Who would your manager and team be? 
• Did you LOVE them during the interview process?
• Could you live with them?
• Do you have any other possible opportunities?

This sort of caused me to stop in my tracks.  Honestly, I love the company but it's so incredibly hard to put something like this in perspective when we really are talking about a "life change" here. Some days I'm ready to run to a new place and meet new people and the next I'm falling in love with Buckhead/ Atlanta and thinking there is no way I could ever leave my incredible friends.  HELP! But, seriously.  

Then I did what most girls would when they are stressing: Yes, I called Mommy.  She's never been gun-shy about adventure and her advice was if it seems like a good opportunity, take it! You can always come home but you'll regret the things you didn't take advantage more than the ones that you did.  This would be an incredible adventure and she has a point.  Last year, I almost didn't study abroad in Australia because none of my friends were coming with me.  I ended up making some amazing new friends and literally having the experience of  a life time!  

I'm not making my final decision yet just because of logistics, but what IS so wrong with change and adventure? We fear change and new places and yet those are the things that can bring us the most joy and ultimately happiness

I will keep you all updated, but I'm more inclined then ever to make a change. 

Below is a picture of my study abroad group being silly in front of the Sydney Opera House where we sat and wrote our bucket lists - probably one of the best days of my life!

XOXO - Your 20-Something Adventurist and Over-analyzer 

Lean Into It

This week, instead of flooding my social media outlets with senseless stressful garbage I decided to take some initiative and manage my weekly woes in a healthy way.  On Tuesday, I attended a hot yoga class.   After a few hours of trying to convince some of my friends to join me, I ended up venturing alone. This is the most tactile decision I've made in a some time. 

Pure. Clarity.  By the end of this session I see clearly again and it's as if everything that seemed impossible before now feels like a footnote. 

During the class, our instructor read us a quote from none other than the talk show mogul herself, Oprah Winfrey.  Normally I don't take many of her words to heart but this really made me step back and take a look at how we as a society handle our lives.  

When everything is said and done, we are human and we only have this short little amount of time to live a life.  One life.  No second chances, no do-overs.  So why do we constantly focus on things like careers and money and fame when none of it really matters?  When we leave this world, the only thing we carry with us is our soul and the love we've been able to permeate to the those around us. 

Here's this little tidbit from Ms. Winfrey - but for now I'd like to call her Yoda: 

"I keep a little bottle of bubble-blowing potion and a bubble wand on my desk. And when the day gets too heavy and I'm feeling overwhelmed, I may actually blow a few. 

Blowing the perfect bubble requires bringing your attention to your breath and placing it in the space of the present moment. Kind of like bubble meditation. Being fully present automatically lifts your spirits. Clears your mind of distractions. Brings clarity. Even some joy, if you're open to it. 

Blowing bubbles reminds me of happiness. It makes me think of lying flat on my back on a bed of grass, taking in the sky (sky meditation). Or standing in a grove of trees (tree meditation). Or walking through the woods with my dogs (dog-walking meditation). The best is when I get to do all three in one day.

In our current economic state, we have a choice: We can reside in a place of desperation, panic, and fear—or we can literally give ourselves some breathing space. Take in a few deep breaths. Exhale. And focus on what we need instead of what we've been striving to have.

When was the last time you thought about what really makes you feel good? Just thinking about that walk through the woods with my dogs brings a smile to my spirit.

What fills you up? What matters most to you? 

For me, it's finding teachable moments in every experience. I'm happiest when I'm either learning or teaching. But I can do neither without giving my full attention to whatever or whoever needs to be in focus. That means listening with my whole body, all senses attuned to the moment.

Meaningful things happen when you give someone your undivided—undistracted—attention. Because that's what everyone is really looking for: to be validated, appreciated, heard. To be raised up by their interactions, and not put down.

I know for sure: When we connect to what's alive in another person, the feeling is mutual.

And we both get a lift."

Being fully present is something that I'm challenging myself to do.  So often we get lost in a day-in-day-out clock-in-clock-out lifestyle and I fear we've forgotten how to actually be here and give those around us the respect of your full presence in that moment. 

I'm going to be cheesy again for a second and quote one of my favorite movies People Like Us, with Chris Pine (LOVE HIM!)

"Lean into it - it means that the outcome doesn't matter - what matters is that you were there for it."

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6R_mGTLszE

Anyway this is my piece for today, I apologize if I got a little to deep and cheesy!   

Love, your 20-something wanna-be guru and yoga enthusiast. XOXO