Praying – what is it?

What is this thing called praying?

Praying or McDonald’s take out.

I used to think that praying was like driving up to McDonald’s and ordering a fast food item. You talk into this box and some voice of an unknown origin responds and asks for your order. OK, I will take one “children get good grades meal”, one adult “pay raise meal” and one “please let our team win the big game” with special sauce.

Now I think that prayer is perhaps more of a daily meditation that comes to me as I engage in running, walking, bicycling, or sitting idly. During these times I am more apt to accept things as they are and I try to resolve my bad juju while focusing on and sending out into the universe some good karma.

Recently while I was driving an 18 wheeler truck through winter weather, I prayed that somehow the weather would change and the snow would go away or the mountain pass would dissolve so that I could manage the load easier and steer the vehicle safely. At that point I realized that I was focused on the wrong things. Instead of hoping for some great miracle, I thought about the skills needed to drive through such harsh winter conditions in the mountains, and I realized that the miracle of getting through the difficult challenge was within me. Then I discovered that I did have those skills and knowledge and the ability to make the right choices.

Often times my rambling thoughts wonder about the world’s issues and the human condition. Why are there so many problems and where do they come from? As I bring those thoughts inward I cling to the hope that if I am confronted with these problems that somehow I am granted the “wherewithal” to respond in a caring and compassionate way. I do hope for world peace, but I also pray that I can bring peace to my little space in this vast universe.

About fillfreedom

What is there to say about me? I am not sure if I am typical or not, average or not, smart or not, BUT I think I definitely have a sense of humor. I am an aging baby boomer wondering if I have something to say about the world as I see it.