The Power of Prayer

This is a subject that is definitely not my best subject but yet something that is intriguing to me none the less. I've never really prayed much in my life... I've never really had to. I guess I'd have to say that my life has been pretty peaceful all in all. No major catastrophes (other than a couple hospital mishaps that almost killed me... but the staff pulled through :P) have happened to me. The hospital incidents were beyond my control both times because I was either comatose or unconscious, so I obviously wasn't in a position to pray about the outcome. But if others were praying for me (I appreciate it), apparently it worked because I'm still alive and kicking.

All my life, I've never been religious. Although the older I have gotten, I have seen my spiritual side grow astronomically. Starting in my late teens, I started questioning the world around me because honestly, I couldn't see the point of anything. Everything seemed so inconsequential. But as I aged, I started to see connections and patterns everywhere around me (as if there was some grand plan). Perhaps through age comes the wisdom to see the spectacularness of the world as it is. Or perhaps a juvenile mind can't comprehend the massiveness of the beauty in everything. The cliche, "stop and smell the roses", takes on a whole new meaning when you have an idea of what your looking at. The profound gorgeousness of the petals in their formation. The complex noxiousness that pervades. Even the thorns have their place in the intricate evolution of such an awe inspiring elegant form.

So as I start to understand the phenomenon of seeing profoundness in everything, I can also see how the power of our intentions can affect the world around us. But what is "intention"? Is it merely meaning to do something or is it actually desiring the resulting outcome? Perhaps, at times, when we mean to do something, we aren't necessarily vested in the outcome so our purpose isn't the same as if we desire a particular aftereffect. So if we truly desire something, we pray for it, in our own ways. Will whatever it is we want just be given to us? Probably not. If the consequence is meant to happen anyways, then maybe. Would the outcome have been the same either way? I don't know. But what is significant is... maybe, just maybe your intentions did have an impact on the end result... and if so, then wasn't it worthwhile to put forth the effort to implore, pray, invoke, petition or do whatever you want to call it. And if not... no harm done.

Counting Down

I had this thought today that was pretty surreal. If you read my blog the other day, you would know that I said the number 23 popped up a lot to me. Well, it has persisted. I keep my eyes open to all sorts of weird happenstances and anomalies, so I've noticed it for sometime now. It shows up in dollar amounts, time, paperwork, bills, on TV, etc., etc. For instance, I was watching the Kansas vs. Davidson NCAA basketball game and had to get up to do something, so I paused my DVR and when I got back, I happened to notice the score was 23 to 23 with 4:23 left on the clock. I realize I'm the one who paused it but I really had no intention at all of pausing it like that. I wasn't really even paying attention to the score, so I hadn't noticed the score was tied at 23. That's just a small example of what I'm talking about. Anyways, back to my original point. About 10 years ago, I was noticing the number 33 all around me all the time. Same kind of situations and conditions. My thought was... what if these numbers I've been noticing have been a countdown of sorts. Like in another ten years, the number 13 will be the significant portrayer... and then eventually my demise will come 13 years later. Wouldn't it be strange if life left you little signals like that to let you know how much time you have left. I know this is a little far fetched but so is the idea of a bunny leaving chocolate eggs all over the place, or a fat man breaking into your house and leaving you endowments, or a supposed miracle worker who was blessed with the power of ocular regeneration and could also turn a bottle of water into Merlot. These ideas all came from somewhere and some people actually believe some of them. What if... just what if?...

It's the coincidences

As I ponder everything and imagine the web that connects us all, there is one defining thing that lets us know that we're where we're supposed to be, we're with who we're supposed to be with (or not with), we're doing what we're supposed to be doing and why we're doing it. It's the coincidences that we experience on a daily basis that not only give us all that insight but also give us a little peak behind the scenes allowing us to see the intricate ways we are all woven together in the tapestry of all existence. Obviously, the where, what, who, why are givens in the equation but it's the matter of time, the when, that is the most astounding (at least to me) factor in it all. Consider this... Imagine just going about your business and then all of the sudden you meet somebody and you happen to have a lot of things that coincide with each other. Now imagine they are not doing to well but you may have a bit of insight that may help them through their tough time. Just by chance, a little part of both people is lifted and they're both a little better off because of it. Well, that just happened to me yesterday and I love the feeling that I've had since. I've felt elated, if not a little buoyant all day because of that connection, that coincidence, that moment. Surely, if everyone payed more attention to the coincidences that happen to them more often, it would be a miracle and we would all be lifted.