Lesson #5 Religion

Dear Baby,

I will raise you with religion. I think kids need to have rules and things to believe in. So, among Santa, the Tooth Fairy and The Easter Bunny, you will learn about Jesus. But you will also learn about Buddah and Mohamed and Satyavati. I won't be all religious about religion, baby. I will encourage you to think freely, outside of the box, to question and to find your own answers. I will also teach you to not be judgemental about other people and their beliefs. Cause that's not cool. You can question others beliefs but only assholes make people feel bad for believing what they believe. People have often questioned my beliefs, it's something that people do, baby. And it's okay. Becasuse these assholes will get you to question what you believe and it will help you determine what you "really" believe and what you don't. So, be grateful to the assholes for that.

But don't be an asshole. Don't use relgion as a way to feel superior to others. If you chose to follow a religion, do so because it brings you peace and guides you towards being the best "you" that you can be.

Your British uncle Jon says that "Religion is something that people have made up to make themselves feel better" and that may be the case. I can tell you it has made me feel better. When you great-grandma, my grandma passed away, it made me feel much better to think that she was sitting on a cloud somewhere in peace. It brought me comfort. And I'd like to think there is more. I'd like to believe there is a God and a grand purpose for everything. But I don't know. What I do know is that kindness is real. People are real. And if you follow one rule in your life religiously then it should be the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do to you. Whatever else you believe, that one is the one your momma endorses whole heartedly. If you don't want to be judged then don't judge. If you don't want people to be mean to you then don't be mean. Etc.

Much to talk about on this topic, baby. This lesson was too serious and I promise that they all won't be. Perhaps we should be religious about laughing. Yup, that's a ritual we should make a daily habit of doing. And that's a vow I happily take.

xo, Mom