Church of the Great Outdoors

So. I guess I haven’t really explained me yet. I was thinking of going with the whole discover me through my writing type thing. However, vanity being what it is, and my profound desire for readers not to get offended in the wrong places (yes, this does imply there are right places to be offended) led me to formulate a little Genesis of my own.

I was born and raised in small town Montana, Darby-small to be precise. My parents are loving creatures that have strived to provide the best for me, mainly in heart and soul. Dad was raised Polish Catholic—nuns, catholic school, watered down ketchup… the whole shebang. Mom was raised Protestant/Catholic/Christian. I guess her family kept switching between churches and the importance my mom places on organized religion (not much) reflects this.

The combination of my mother’s strong-willed liberal nature and the 70’s spent away from home persuaded my dad that perhaps church every Sunday wasn’t necessary for his soul.

Both combined their ideas over many years together, and thus the Church of the Great Outdoors was born. It is a church of prayers ever night to someone I address as Lord for lack of a better name, and hikes on Sundays. It is a religion, like many, filled with biases, beauty, and most of all, appreciation to be on this little blue marble. Over the years, my brother and I have adapted and expanded on this religion each in our own way.

My present self is entranced with the world. More often than not, I feel something deep within me that recognizes the essence of some greater self. Still trying to figure out just what it is. I have a deep respect for man’s positive search for Oneness, and a deep-rooted bias towards organized religions that forget this search.

I am really excited about reading the bible, and hope to finish it. I take that back. More than hope, I strive to finish this book, hopefully by the end of semester. If not, I will by the end of the year. There is literary merit and allusions abound in the reading. More than that, a little feeling deep inside me tells me that beauty, truth and inspiration must be within the pages. If this helps me overcome my pre-disposition to scoff at religion, I welcome it.

I will be honest in my blogs. Skepticism may abound. However, I am striving to read with an open heart ready to accept and a watchful eye searching for the poetry of the world.