Prayer and Science

Make that, Praying in a world of Reason and Proof and Evidence.

Why, How, Can, a person pray and talk with an Unseen, Unheard, Unknown and Unknowable "Entity", when the world is so obviously so able to be Seen and Heard and Known--most of that not very pleasant at all.

Why trust in SomeOne that is so ethereal?

When I am asked this question, the answer has always seemed so simple. Because, I say, I cannot help *but* see the Presence of Divine. It is in the wind in my face, the rain on the trees, the smile of a child, the laughter of friends. It is in the mountains and the rivers.

It is even in the fear of what we must hasten to prevent--we prevent that cold carelessness by ensuring always that we take care of this world and of each other.

I pray because to not pray seems to make everything else pointless indeed. NOT hopeless--I always have hope. But having hope without prayer to me offers nothing to my spirit.

Oh, yes, did I forget to mention that I also fervently believe that we have something within ourselves beyond the obvious physical? Please don't call it the "Force" that binds us together, all respect to the Obi-wan. Although I suppose in "science (fictional) terms that could do. But the Force is so--unfeeling, so neutral. It has no *personality*. The One to Whom I pray is very personal and personable. Of course I think of this person as somewhat "humaniform" but I know in my heart of hearts that "human-form" does not come close.

People who pray, I hasten to say, are not weak, or need crutches. People who pray are quite simply and fundamentally acknowledging that we are far more than what we think we see, and that is as it should be. Especially when humans act according to more base qualities such as anger, hate, desire for power without consequence or power without responsibility--it is valuable to consciously realize that we are more than those base qualities. Prayer may just remind us of that.

Especially when our prayer-practice, or religion, is so often the very cause of us behaving in the most base and heart-breaking manners.

The best prayer, I often think, is a humble, and simple "I am so happy to be alive, thank You to the One who set me here on this spinning globe. Now, what can I do to properly repay that kindness."

Take hold of that kindness, that divine spark of energy, and pay it Forward.

Today.

Right now.