Member-only story
There was a time when I visited the temple regularly, and prayed. I also didn’t discriminate — I prayed to every God out there; just as comfortable reciting the Hail Mary as I was reciting om namo bhagwate vasudevaya namaha (hindu mantra) or uvvasagaharam (jain shlok).
My friends and family always reacted with surprise when they learned how “religious” I was, given my very modern outlook and lifestyle.
Now, those same friends and family react in shock when I say, I don’t believe in God, lol and gawk at me as if I’ve suddenly grown two horns and morphed into the devil (if there is such an entity).
So what changed me?
They say tough people get going when the going gets tough, but let me tell you, as tough as I was/am, I was paralyzed with pain during my tough years.
It was a seven year period in which personally and professionally, everything that could go wrong, did, and some. Being the analytical person that I am, I spent months thinking, analyzing, and trying to figure out “why” stuff was going to hell in a handbasket.
Being the problem-solver that I am, I also tried to solve the problem by talking, explaining, and arguing my position. Obviously, things got worse. [If anyone thinks logical conversations solve problems, then they must also believe in pigs flying and hell freezing.)
My spiritual guru was the one who held my hand and mopped my tears so to speak during those years. He kept telling me to stop…
