Throwback Thursday, Indeed!

Taking a moment for a bit of fun this morning, I posted a picture from my high school band days on Facebook, for Throwback Thursday.  What I thought would be a brief post, however, really captured my attention, and brought back a flood of memories. 

You see, one of the people in the picture, Clay Sturgil, seated beside me on my left, died only a few years after graduation.  When this picture was taken, I had a huge crush on Clay – as did half the female population of the school, I think! 

It reminded me of how fragile life can be, and how full of unknowns.  But it also reminded me of how consistent my life has been.  Funny that I’ve never thought of consistency in my life before, but hindsight is usually pretty sharp, and now that I can look back 30+ years I can see a pattern that has pervaded my life.  I’ve always been one who refused to accept the various groups and social structures that excluded others.  Band was a big thing for me, because the band members were from every social group, every economic group, every class, etc., throughout the school.  People who typically didn’t socialize together outside of the bandroom were able to cease being members of this clique or that socio-economic group, and become band-members the moment they stepped over the threshold of the bandroom door.  Everyone worked together to make beautiful music, and we won awards all over the east coast.  The picture was taken on a trip to Disney World in Florida where we had been invited to march in Mickey’s 50th Anniversary Parade.

Now I work to bring people of all faiths together to understand our common humanity, and the common core of religions.  To work together to improve our environment, our food supply, to provide decent, affordable housing, and to reduce fear of people who we sometimes see as different than ourselves.

So did my high school band days influence who I am today, or was I so involved in band because this is my nature?  Hmmm…  Who can say?

Can I be totally honest and share something here?  What I can say is that I never really felt like I fit in anywhere.  Life has always felt surreal to me.  Everything feels like a play – and I’m just acting out a part.  Every activity, no matter how involved I get, doesn’t feel real.   I’ve read a fair number of spiritual texts over my lifetime, and some of them have proposed that this world we are experiencing isn’t really real.  That only God is real.  Only love is real.  Reading those books, I can relate to that feeling, because it’s been such an enormous part of my life.

But we are here, somehow, participating in this thing we call life.  So what’s a person to do?

For me, I’m continuing to act out my part.  What feels right to me is to be spiritual, to see that aspect in others, and to do whatever I can to get us to all work together.  Life, whether real or not, isn’t easy.  But one thing that is obvious to me, is that if God wanted everyone to realize how important it is to help each other, and to work together, then God would make that a cornerstone in every heart.  And so we have the Golden Rule.  Not just in Christianity, but in all the major traditions. 

In everything you do, do to others as you would have them do to you.

Treat not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful.

This is the sum of duty; do not do to others what you would cause pain if done to you.

Regard your neighbor’s gain as your own gain, and regard your neighbor’s loss as your own loss.

Not one of you truly believes until you wish for others what you wish for yourself.

You get the gist.  Those sayings are from Christianity, Buddhism, Hinduism, Taoism, and Islam.  And that’s only a small sample.  There are many more like that.

So all the trappings are different.  All the times, places, and people where these religions began are different.  But the overall message is consistent throughout them all.  Love each other.  Take care of each other.  Help each other.

But there is another facet we usually miss.  And that is ourselves.  Do you see it in those statements above?  How about this one that Jesus said, “Love your neighbor, as yourself.” 

This is what is tragically missing from so much of our lives.  It’s tragic because unless and until we honor and respect our own spiritual nature, we cannot possibly honor and respect anyone else.  We cannot give what we do not possess.  And because we do not respect ourselves, (and I don’t mean from an egotistical point, but from a spiritual/divine nature) we have no respect for others. 

So many people say we are in a “me” society.  But I disagree.  We are in an “ego” society.  And as much as the ego shouts bravado, it also screams, unworthy!  So while we are eagerly grasping at what “me, me, me” thinks it wants to fill this deep hole, it can never be filled with material things.  It is our spiritual nature that is wanting that deep, beautiful connection to others.  Most of us live in a society that encourages our egotistical nature and discourages our spiritual self.  So it’s no wonder that things are as they are.  I’m of the viewpoint that it’s time to make some modifications. 

I’ve been consistent in my desire for everyone to work together, to get along, all my life.  I’ve seen a glimpse of what can be accomplished when we do.  Now I recognize the spiritual aspect of all of that – and I can see what Jesus meant when he said that “even greater things will you do …” when we truly work together based on an understanding of each other as spiritual beings, and honoring and respecting that aspect in ourselves and all others.

It’s time for us all to step up and “be the change you want to see in the world,” as Gandhi said.  If my role in this play is to help others recognize and honor their own spiritual natures, and encourage them to recognize and honor that nature in others, so that we can all work together in harmony and solve the problems facing our world today, then so be it.  As one of my favorite hymns says, “here I am, Lord!” 

Rev. Stacy Lee Goforth is an Interfaith Minister, Spiritual Life Coach, Intuitive, Mystic, Co-Creator of Crystal Vibrations Jewelry, and Talk Radio Host of Goforth on Faith.  She is the author of The Divine Plan, a spiritual gifts based program for discovering your unique life purpose.  She serves on the worship teams for the Interfaith Community International in NYC, and the New London United Methodist Church, and serves on the Office of Christian Unity and Interreligious Relations for the New England United Methodist Church. 

Follow her on Facebook and Twitter, and sign up for her newsletter at www.manycontainers.com.

Hear Stacy this week:

At the New London United Methodist Church this Sunday, May 18, at 11:00 AM.  The UMC is located at 130 Broad Street in New London.  All are welcome.  http://www.neumc.org/churches/detail/19

She will also talk on spirituality at A High Nutrition, Health & Spiritual Seminar at Aiki Farms on Sunday afternoon, May 18.  Seminar begins at 1:00 PM.  Aiki Farms, 769 Shewville Rd. Ledyard. CT.  aiki.ledyard@gmail.com

Spirituality class, The Path of the Mystic, every Monday at 6:00 PM at the Center for Healing Therapies in Waterford, CT.