I absolutely love Christmas. Let me tell you why. When I think about Christmastime as a little kid, all I can remember are happy things. My family starts watching Christmas movies and listening to Christmas music before Thanksgiving. My mom and I feel like it's just not a long enough holiday, so we celebrate as early as possible. The feeling of Christmas is just magical. You see people ...
I've been overwhelmed with the spirit lately. A near-perfect feeling of being content, peaceful, and well. A feeling so strong that I just want to do good. A feeling of complete and utter beauty. My heart feels warm, and my mind feels clear. What I just described sounds familiar to a Christian describing the spirit they feel, right? The spirit I feel is different. I don't even like to call it "the spirit", but I looked up word after word trying to find something different and there's just nothing. ...
As a human, I expect a lot. As a human, I take things for granted. I don't realize what it is that I really want until it has disappeared. I forget about the beauty of things just as they are. As a human, I depend on other humans. I try to change unchangeable things. I try to fix unfixable things. I focus too hard on things that shouldn't be focused on. Things that find their way into my brain that I never invited in. As a human, I don't instantly kick them out of my brain. I let ...
"Being tender and open is beautiful. As a woman, I feel continually shhh'ed. Too sensitive. Too mushy. Too wishy washy. Blah blah. Don't let someone steal your tenderness. Don't allow the coldness and fear of others to tarnish your perfectly vulnerable beating heart. Nothing is more powerful than allowing yourself to truly be affected by things. Whether it's a a song, a stranger, a mountain, a raindrop, a tea kettle, an article, a sentence, a footstep, feel it all - look around you. All of this ...
One of the most common questions I get asked, being an atheist, is: How do you find meaning and purpose in life? I decided to dedicate a whole post to this question, seeing as it's a pretty big deal. The words "meaning" and "purpose" can make or break somebody. So let me lay it down in the best way I can. I enjoy life. I love being able to wake up every day and make it whatever I want. The very fact that I am able to think and walk and talk is incredible. I think, as humans, we sometimes ...
If somebody were to ask a friend or family member about you, how would they describe you? What would be your identifier? Nice, funny, entertaining, cool, shy? Something I find very interesting about Utah compared to other states, is that most everyone here automatically assumes you're Mormon. For the longest time, I started introducing myself as "Adri the Atheist" (well, not in those exact words, but you get the picture) because I wanted to be upfront with people and let them know I wasn't ...
Fear: an unpleasant emotion caused by the belief that someone or something is dangerous, likely to cause pain, or a threat. Deceive: Give a mistaken impression. Confusion: A situation of panic; a breakdown of order. Uncertainty. Lack of understanding. Brainwash: Make (someone) adopt radically different beliefs by using systematic and often forcible pressure. These are four words I never really understood until a few years ago. Sure, I knew the Webster definitions. But that doesn't mean ...
I watch this video too much. It just makes my heart feel like one of those goldfish that keeps growing and growing until there's no more room. It's such a beautiful feeling. I have so many wishes for Provo and it's progression (see previous post), and this kind of stuff keeps me hopeful. Smiles. ...
Okay. Truth is, I've written this whole post out and erased it all. Twice. Why? I don't know. I guess I felt like I was being too harsh with my criticism. So before I write the things I was going to write, I'm going to be a critic of myself. Did I go to church for 18 years? Yes. Did I, at least once in my life, think somebody was going to hell for not following the commandments? Yes. Did I judge somebody based on them not going to church? Yes. Have I thought I could "save" somebody by praying ...
"I was forced, through seeing the error of their foundation, to abandon all belief in every religion which had been taught to man. But my religious feelings were immediately replaced by the spirit of universal charity - not for a sect, or a party, or for a county or a colour - but for the human race, and with a real and ardent desire to do good." - Robert Owen (1857) I was thinking today about the two times I bared my testimony. Yep, two. Both times were at girl's camp, where everyone did ...
