Since adding points of contact to the tail of my column, coupled with internet popularity both national and international, I have scads of mail that arrives daily, all of which I do not have time to even read, but like junk mail, I do sort through it, and occasionally I come up with what I think is a well-said gem.
From a letter to the editor in a Sarnia paper come the inherited thoughts of my father, which could be no better explained in words of my own compilation. It goes, word for word, as follows:
“Sir: In venturing into the fray of the recent discussion on God, the perspective I have is that science may answer how a thing works and it can answer the question of how fast light is, what its components are and its temperature, etc.; however, science is still puzzling on how light first came to be. That first, the big bang, whatever they call it, nobody knows how that happened or can even begin to answer why.
“The same can be said about time and space and gravity, both weak forces and strong forces. Science can answer how they work but not where they originated. Why do we become alive can also be asked and science may explain how our bodies function but the source of our intelligence remains a mystery. Our brains are powerful super computers but our emotions and logic come from somewhere else.
“To fill this void of understanding we have attempted to use God as the answer. God in the sense of a supreme being or whatever term you may wish to use. Where it gets confusing here is organized religion attempts to either scare us by having a fear of the Lord or has us postulating in some form as atonement for all we have done wrong. This makes little sense to me. Why should I be afraid of my maker? Isn’t God Love?
“Organized religion does some things well, but it does a poor job providing unbiased understanding of where we stand in the universe. It confuses dogma with what really is.
“As individuals, we come equipped with the ability to choose. This individuality can be extended beyond ourselves. By accepting that we are one, we can then become part of the universe.
“This connectivity does not require a building or a priest, a rabbi, a shaman or anyone else. We can make all this connection on our own. You can choose to avoid the middleman and go direct. Of course, if you need someone to guide and direct you, that’s okay. If you chose to do this collectively, that’s okay too. It’s your choice.
“Stand on the shore of any lake, look up at the clear sky and see that we are part of this immense wonder of everything. If we cannot see, we can still sense this connection. By recognizing this connection, we come closer to an understanding of God or whatever term you may wish to use to describe this connection.
“This is why it is folly to argue over each other’s religious preferences. We are all one – not my god is more powerful or whatever than your god. We all drink from the same water and breathe the same air. We all have a purpose, if we choose to find it. Live in peace and harmony and accept our connection, our oneness. Doing so will create a better world for us and our children.”
It was signed Louis J. Spizzirri, Sarnia.
My thoughts in a nutshell. My Little Lady went to church and taught Sunday School for years. Three of our boys gained their ten-year attendance pins. I did not accompany them, yet not once in our lifetime was it a point of controversy. The so-called wildlife ’neath the woodland’s leafy bowers, where my father and I often walked, and talked, or sat in quiet contemplation, was all the proof we needed to know that there was an unseen creator guiding the evolutionary hand of Mother Nature as she weaves the magnificent web of life of which we all are part and parcel, must share, and have no right, no reason, or need to destroy any part of it, as we seem so addicted to doing.
By the way folks this is the weekend that I`ll be at Little Tree Nursery, 10am to 4pm, with Greenspaces for Wellington. This is our fourth annual bat house assembly work shop. For just one $20 bill, covering cost recovery, you get to make and take home a bat house to give to pops on Father’s Day. We will also have a few bluebird and tree swallow houses there, at $10 per each. Also, if you should so wish to surprise him with a Father’s Day gift that will bring back memories, I’ll have my books there including the latest, just hot off of the press, with me as well. You`ll like Little Tree Nursery, it`s a neat place just to wander, wonder, and ponder (Highway 6 North, in Fergus).
Take care, ’cause we care.
Barrie@barriehopkins.ca
519-843-4544