A lot of people will tell you to go away when you bring up spirituality, because they instantly think religion. While the ideals stem from religion, religion actually has a lot less to do with it than you might think.
Someone who I think epitomises the standards of christian spirituality is my father. He is not religious by any stretch of the imagination, but he is still an example of all the decency that christian spirituality presents.
He works hard, is fair, makes choices based on what he honestly thinks is right, and loves his family. It sounds all very easy to spout cliched phrases such as those, but it is my honest belief that that is him. Sure, we have our arguments and there is the odd occasion where we dont agree with what he sayd, but all in all he's a very genuine person and I think tremendously of him.
I only wish that I might one day be half the man he is.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Monday, October 15, 2007
Once upon a WW2 Veteran
If someone was to tell me that I had to go and speak to a resident in a retirement home for an hour, I would probably tell them to get lost.
However, if someone asked me the same question after the tenth of October, my answer would have totally changed. So, to an extent, would my attitude.
Let me say first up that the resident that we spoke to, name of John, had too much knowledge and experience to share in the measly hour that we had access to. When we arrived I had this pre-conceived idea of meeting a cranky old man who would point out all the flaws in today's youth. The result couldn't have been further than the truth.
John started his tale at the end of his high school years, year 12 in 1939 when war broke out. His father was a ww1 digger and he was eager to follow in those footsteps. He joined the RAAF and underwent training in both Australia and Canada. During his time in the war he was taken all around the world. In 1942 he was shot down and held as a P.O.W and spent 6 months of his time there in solitary confinement. During this time, John made a point of stating that the biggest thing that got him through that period was the 'use' of his spirituality. He also made a point that spirituality is not necessarily religion, but whatever works for you to keep your wits about you.
I guess at the end of our time with him, he had made it really clear that the time in which you should really take a hold of life and make the most of it is during your time at school. Im not sure whether ive lived it as fully as I could of, but damn i've had a great time along the way.
However, if someone asked me the same question after the tenth of October, my answer would have totally changed. So, to an extent, would my attitude.
Let me say first up that the resident that we spoke to, name of John, had too much knowledge and experience to share in the measly hour that we had access to. When we arrived I had this pre-conceived idea of meeting a cranky old man who would point out all the flaws in today's youth. The result couldn't have been further than the truth.
John started his tale at the end of his high school years, year 12 in 1939 when war broke out. His father was a ww1 digger and he was eager to follow in those footsteps. He joined the RAAF and underwent training in both Australia and Canada. During his time in the war he was taken all around the world. In 1942 he was shot down and held as a P.O.W and spent 6 months of his time there in solitary confinement. During this time, John made a point of stating that the biggest thing that got him through that period was the 'use' of his spirituality. He also made a point that spirituality is not necessarily religion, but whatever works for you to keep your wits about you.
I guess at the end of our time with him, he had made it really clear that the time in which you should really take a hold of life and make the most of it is during your time at school. Im not sure whether ive lived it as fully as I could of, but damn i've had a great time along the way.
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