I have to admit to feeling a little silly whenever I slip any texting vocabulary into anything I write -- even if it’s just to add a post on an online message board, where such things are expected. LOL. RFLMAO. JMHO. It’s partly because that lingo seems like something that’s associated more with a different, younger generation. In any case, the one that really got me thinking today was P&PT -- Prayers and Positive Thoughts.
I’m not sure how it is with other online communities, but with mothers’ groups it is not uncommon for there to be an occasion to offer P&PT. Only, when those occasions pop up, I usually offer to “keep you and your family in my thoughts,” or “send good thoughts your way.” I’m pretty sure I’ve probably even resorted to promising to muster up some “good vibes” at one point or another. Because I don’t pray. Not really.
For the record, here’s my take on the matter of religion and/or spirituality. I believe that there is indeed a higher order to things. Sometimes I call it the universe, or nature, or for a while back in my college days, I’d talk about there being another dimension. And, in a giant leap of faith, I believe that all things do kind of happen for a reason, even if I can’t understand or see what those reasons might be. I also believe that there is value in trying to live a good life, not to get ahead in any race, or to score points to be used later on, but just because it’s the right thing to do.
I’m no religious scholar, not by a long stretch, but aren’t these ideas the fundamental, core elements to many religions? Sure, each religion has its own story, its own tradition, or associated culture, but at their core I think there is a lot of similarity. I get the feeling too that most of the twisted stuff around religion can be traced back to people just being fundamentally flawed beings. To disregard the value of religion based on that alone really does seem like throwing the baby out with the bath water. Because I’m convinced that there’s good stuff there.
When someone I care for is hurting, I do send out my version of P&PT. I’m not on my knees with my hands clasped in front of me. I’m not in a specially designated space -- a church, or a meditation room, for example -- but I’m opening up my heart in some way. Turning my eyes upward (for some reason) to try to connect with... with... what? I guess I’m still just calling it the universe.
There was a scene in the Sex in the City rerun that I watched last night, where a stranger at a party walks up to Charlotte and makes a simple comment on her wedding ring. “Oh that’s a beautiful ring! Is your husband here?” And Charlotte responds with waaaaay too much information. (“Oh, he’s not here tonight. We’re separated right now. Not legally -- oh god, nothing legal! -- it’s just that we’re taking a break. We got married very quickly. And now we’re slowing things down a bit. We were having problems...” and here she whispers, “in the bedroom.”) The other woman takes the very first opportunity to get away from Charlotte’s awkward monologue.
And it occurs to me that I may be over-thinking the P&PT thing. Maybe it’s okay to throw out a genuine P&PT now and then, without qualifying it with a “But I’m not
praying praying, you know, not in the traditional sense of the word. Not like they do in the Catholic church, or anything like that, because I do believe there’s a higher power -- of course there’s a higher power! -- but I’m just not sure what to call it yet...”
Maybe I need not spend quite so much energy in describing myself as “spiritual but not religious,” when a simple smile and nod, or a quickly typed P&PT, will do.
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