Emily is one of the kindest people I have ever met. Genuine, a friend to outcasts, always smiling, good with children, never judgmental. She is a great example to me, and I think following her leadership by example is a big step I can take to become a person of Light.

That regionals cross country meet my senior year of high school! I totally would’ve made it to State, but went out way too fast! That is a day I wish I could do over again. It wasn’t the end of the world, but it would’ve been so wonderful if I had used my opportunity wisely.

Just now, I joined a virtual commune that shares various resources, as much as anyone who has need, with others without buying anything. This allows me to receive what I need without having to give money to large corporations. I am excited to be a part of this and hope it kindles my imagination to see what is possible with generosity and community.

If I were not afraid, I would think more about my prayers and intentions and act on these desires so as to allow the Universe to provide the necessary resources for completing these intentions. At the same time, however, I would use caution by remembering to do God’s will alone and so would use the I Ching for guidance, not being like Saul, who had good intentions, but always acted on his own authority and not on God’s will.

I am waiting for a deeper understanding of Yeshua’s role in the salvation of humanity, for a deeper understanding of what the Holy Spirit is, for a deeper knowledge of what it means to have true life, for Christmas gifts that will deepen my wisdom and understanding of the dharma, and to become friends with two particular people I desire to get to know better, God-willing.

I spend most of my time with my friends Cassidy, Jagger, and Lou. These people have helped me be my best self by teaching me that stigmatizing individuals without getting to know them first is one of the most unloving thing you can do, that even simple activities like watching a movie can teach very important spiritual lessons, that teasing is one of the best ways to bond, and that a true friend respects you regardless of who you are or what you do.

I no longer need to hide. I can be myself fearlessly and show the love that I AM. If anyone does not like who I am, that is their choice, but hiding my real self for the rest of my life is not helpful. As Nelson Mandela puts it, “There’s nothing enlightened about shrinking so that others won’t feel insecure about you.”

I should remember to appreciate the splendor of nature and of others’ beauty, both inner and outer. This is a reminder of the divinity within the creation and within the Divine Spark in each person made in God’s image.

Perhaps, if I gave up the need to be right, I would be more willing to listen to the insights of the other political party. I am still struggling with this since this last election, but there might be some useful insights from the other party’s values that I might not have thought of. Getting rid of the need to be right will certainly help me listen more to others, especially those with whom I disagree, and learn wisdom from them.

To me generosity means treating others the way I want to be treated, especially by giving to them what I would otherwise want for myself and giving 10% of my income to beneficial causes, whether charities, the church, a homeless person, or someone stranded.

My home in Colorado, my home in Platteville, my dorm at Doane University, and Doane itself are truly places that have been home and have felt like home to me.

Doing my dharma is what matters to me. Whatever is right to do and in line with my individual and collective dharma is all I should focus on.

In ministry, so many have gone before me for whom I am grateful! Yeshua of Nazareth, Paul, Yakov, the Johannine community, the Pauline community, the Matthean community, Valentinus, Basilides, Thomas Aquinas, Charles and Myrtle Fillmore, Mary Baker Eddy, Marcus Borg, Ben Konecny, Nate Miller, and so many others have inspired me with wisdom greater than that of Solomon and are models to me of what it means to be a saint and to live like Christ.

Hal, my feline animal friend, always knows when I am upset or not feeling well and cuddles with me. It’s kind of like he senses that I am not doing well, and he gives me some companionship. I love Hal so much and can’t wait to see him Tuesday night!

This is the Buy Nothing Project. You can join by going to their website (just Google it). Then, click find a group. After that, select your country and state. Click the appropriate region for your area, and fill out the information it asks for. Eventually, you should get a message on Facebook saying that you have been approved to join (still waiting to be approved myself, but I am excited about this).