Keeping The Faith

Faith is another word for trust. It means having a belief in something intangible and untouchable beyond our control. I grew up in an alcoholic home, as will have many who read this. Even after he died from a pickled liver and an equally scarred attitude toward life, the craziness continued at home. Since this was all I'd ever known, I had lots of faith that home, life and relationships were meant to be this way.

It amazed me that some people actually have loving relationships based on respect, support and admiration for each other. Obviously these folks had faith in a different set of dynamics than I did. So began my investigation into the meaning of faith. It was easy to come up with a working definition of the word "faith." It became a problem when I needed to know where to put my faith.

It was simple having faith that living in codependency and shame brought nothing but pain, fear and loss. I proved that over and over. Having faith in some external religion wasn't for me. I was raised in a Christian tradition along with its teachings about an angry, vengeful and punishing god who changed his mind with the frequency we change underwear. As a boy I had read a book about Karma, and found it intriguing. Karma brought accountability to our lives, and a reasonable explanation as to why otherwise inexplicable experiences happen to people.

So I investigated the subject of Karma again... that was 25 years ago. I learned I can have faith in such an idea. I can have faith that this is an equal opportunity universe, is kind and benevolent, that there is a higher reality and this is love. I learned to have faith in myself, that I am no worse or better than anyone else, that no one is better or worse than me.

It took a while for faith to replace fear, trepidation and shame. For while I knew it in my heart, it took time to teach my body and its emotions the new definition of faith.

My message to you is to have faith in yourself, first and foremost. Faith that you have all you need to make your dreams come true. Faith in the goodness of the spiritual and faith in your living contract with spirit.

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