Here and Now

Quite often the essential things are overlooked. We take our breath for granted, but without it we would die. We don’t have to practice breathing any more than we have to practice existing. We take both for granted, but we cannot have one without the other. There is no absolute way of knowing certain things. Will the sun come out tomorrow? Will the moon continue to circle the earth? We take these things for granted, however, because they have never failed us in the past.

Many people treat their spiritual journey the same way — taking it for granted that they will have a future time to think about things spiritual and other-worldly. We don’t know for certain that our behavior in this life will influence the next life, but most religions seem to think that it will. For some, however, the question isn’t whether our behavior influences the afterlife, but how it affects our present life. Could we be happier and more fulfilled in this life if we were to pay attention to our spiritual journey even if we don’t know for certain that it will continue after we die? Living a better, more fulfilled life is a strong argument for religion and spirituality and to be the best that we can be — here and now. And, if it has positive benefits in a world to come, then that’s a wonderful bonus.