"We may know nothing of our destiny"

--From Lifelines, by Forrest Church

The lessons of the fall are lost on those who claim that special knowledge can protect us from suffering or give us power over our health and destiny. Modern spiritual teachings such as those contained in A Course in Miracles suggest that "Both sickness and health are in our control….Problems exist only in the mind….The Holy Spirit will solve every problem." According to such teaching, if we align ourselves with truth or love, it will protect us, inoculating us against suffering, illness, and other afflictions that visit those who stand outside the circle of light.
Others contend that everything happens for a reason. For instance, if a young woman has cancer, it was meant to be, perhaps to test her faith and make her a better person or to punish her for something she did in this or some part life. Or maybe she got cancer because of her inability to handle stress, her poor diet, or her failure to align herself with the Holy. One way or another, by this way of thinking, we are held responsible for our own afflictions.
( Read more... )

An aside

My timing is almost back on my typing!! I am feeling better.

Speaking of such, I should be asleep right now-;)

Glimpses of the old world

Yesterday was Erik's (my ex-husband's) birthday. I sent him an e-card rather late last night. He sent a response saying that he was leaving for a vacation in Europe today, and that he'd call me during the afternoon. He also said that he assumed that I started my new job (which made me laugh) and that he'd call my cell phone because he didn't know where I was.

He did. He was in SFO (San Francisco airport) waiting to board his flight. He's on sabbatical, flying to London tonight, will be in Europe for three weeks, and is playing his itinerary by ear. I'm so happy for him; I know that he's wanted to take this trip for a long time.

The bad news (as we get older, I think that good news/bad news is the rhythm of things) is that his cat, Dizzy, died the week of the WTC attack. Apparently Dizzy had a brain tumor and started having convulsions. It was an especially rough week for Erik because he has a friend who knew someone who died in the WTC attack.

Dizzy, of course, was my cat too when Erik and I were together. Dizzy and Chaos didn't get along well, so when we split, it seemed obvious that each of us would keep one cat. When Chaos died, one of the first things that I wondered was how Dizzy was doing. The last time that I saw Erik, I took several pictures of Dizzy (and Erik and Dizzy) while it still was possible.
( A man and his cat )