The Spirituality, Prayer, and Meditation thread

Thought about it
Well, drove home from work and thought about it and truthfully, don't have much to add. I just take anyone's good thoughts, wishes and prayers in the spirit they were delivered. I would hate to lose all the people on here that are beating this thing for they are the source of much valuable experience and knowledge. When I posted good news on 1/18 I was very surprised that some did not respond but brushed it off as not being part of the "inner circle" but perhaps it was that there was so much bad and hurtful news it was hard to respond. I don't post religious stuff and don't really mind people that do, I take their prayers as words of comfort directed to us and do find comfort that someone is thinking of us and wishing us well. Take care - Tina

lmliess said:

I find a lot of comfort in
I find a lot of comfort in all of your thoughts and prayers. I need them. It just seems silly that there are families grieving the lost of a family member to this beast and we get caught up in this again!

For what it is worth, I feel a bit of comfort laying on the CT scan table knowing I have people praying for me and sending me happy thoughts. I really didn't think this has ever been forced on anyone here.

Of all the things we have to go through, do we really have to go through this again?

Can't we
just agree to disagree. I hate to see such a riff escalate from what I perceive to be sincere caring and good intentions. Prayers, positive thoughts, uplifting sentiment, I will accept any and all you care to send my way. Having said that, if I have offended anyone by my admission of praying for them, I sincerely apologize. I was unaware of something similar occuring last year on the board and I do hope that this situation can be rectified before ANYONE decides to leave.
Warmly,
Joanne

JDuke said:

Can't we
just agree to disagree. I hate to see such a riff escalate from what I perceive to be sincere caring and good intentions. Prayers, positive thoughts, uplifting sentiment, I will accept any and all you care to send my way. Having said that, if I have offended anyone by my admission of praying for them, I sincerely apologize. I was unaware of something similar occuring last year on the board and I do hope that this situation can be rectified before ANYONE decides to leave.
Warmly,
Joanne

For pete's sake......

I am 52 years old, wife for 25 years, mother of 4, Nana to 11, been in a war zone, have cancer, live in the land of the free, about to lose my job, who gives a rat's ****!

....Oh, bite me.


And who the heck is Pete!

tootsie1 said:

Hey, Phil.
This is why I
Hey, Phil.

This is why I put in my post about my sister that I was looking for prayers or good wishes. I am well aware after the last big thing we had on here, that there are those with differing opinions about faith. I try to respect that, and I hope I succeed.

It's just a natural thing for me to say to people that I'll be praying for them, but I try to remember not to say it to you or anyone I'm aware of who would not wish that.

I enjoy your posts so much, and I would be very distraught not to be able to keep up with your health. We have never become phone calling or even emailing buddies, but I like you very much and am in awe of how you have stayed in such good humor throughout such a tough battle.

I certainly hope you will stay on the board, and I apologize if anything I have said has contributed to your thoughts of leaving.

*hugs*
Gail

Phil
I realized yesterday that I had missed seeing any posts from you. I hope that you will reconsider your thoughts of leaving the board. You are such an integral part of this family that it would not be the same without you here. I have already become a big fan of the sensibility, humor, intelligence and caring that you contribute with your posts. My references of praying for others was never intended to offend and I apologize, if by doing so, I unintentionally became a source of annoyance to you.
Regards,
Joanne

6,798,900,000!!!
Six billion, seven hundred ninety-eight million, nine hundred thousand!!!

That is approximately how many people are estimated to be on planet Earth as of TODAY! That is a lot of different people with a lot of different ways to express themselves and a lot of people with a lot of different ways to just simply make it through each day.

How many ways are there to say hello? I don't know exactly, but thinking of how many languages there are on Earth and how many synonyms there are for the word hello in each language, including sign language and friendly gestures, I know it must be a lot.

I wonder how many ways there are to just let someone know I'm thinking of them, to wish them well, or good luck, or offer them hope. In a world so cold as the World Wide Web, if not for words alone, how can I share some positive energy? If I consider how many people I care about and how diverse they are from each other - geographically, culturally, spiritually, race, gender, age, who they love, politics, cat people, dog people, vegetarians, meat eaters, and on, and on, and on - I would never be able come up with just one word that would best wrap up my desire to give all of them collectively exactly what they need, or want, or believe in. So I struggle (sometimes more than others) in each attempt, with each individual person or people, to use the right word. Sometimes I don't get it right, but hopefully when I offer up positive energy, regardless of my word choice, the person or people receive it as the only gift I can give. A piece of me - my time, my energy, my thoughts, my wishes, my hope...my meditations, and yes, my prayers.

Offering someone a "prayer" is like offering good thoughts, good vibes, well wishes, meditation...energy...prayer is positive energy. I really don't think one necessarily needs to "believe" in God, or anything else for that matter, to receive positive energy from someone else. And think about it. Offering positive energy to someone you barely know or someone you've never met, or receiving positive energy, is truly a gift. It's a gift of spirit or essence. It's free and costs nothing.

The exact same gift can come in many different packages, but however it is delivered it is still a gift. As for prayers here, they are little gifts of energy wrapped in a little package of a single word. Why return the gifts?

If one does not "believe" in prayer in the religious meaning of the word, perhaps then they could accept it in a more universal package - positive energy, good thoughts, good vibes.

Synonyms are good. They allow us to understand, to interpret, to relate, to accept words that other people use so they can be made meaningful to us.

Sometimes it is not what we say, but how we say it - sometimes it is not what we read, but how we comprehend it - that gives something worth...

Just a thought...

Phil, you have been here such a long time and have offered so much to so many. I hope that you have also received much in return. I hope though, that a simple word won't cause you to leave, especially because it was one horrible word that brought you here. All of us take what we need and leave the rest, sort of like those free hometown newspapers...some people like them for the crossword puzzle, some for the Suduko, some for the garage sale ads, some to line their cat litter boxes and bird cages....either way, they're useful. I hope Phil, that you can take what you need here and leave the rest... You're a good guy and it's nice having you here. Although there are many times I may not agree with what you say, I do appreciate your point of view.

The older I get the more I'm learning to appreciate people for all of who they are and that I don't have to agree with everything they say or believe or are or look like or where they live to do it. I figure if I shut someone off for one aspect of who they they are I am the one who loses because people are a sum of their parts. I don't have to like all the parts to appreciate their humanity and their value. I learn more from people who are different than me.

usakat said:

6,798,900,000!!!
Six billion, seven hundred ninety-eight million, nine hundred thousand!!!

That is approximately how many people are estimated to be on planet Earth as of TODAY! That is a lot of different people with a lot of different ways to express themselves and a lot of people with a lot of different ways to just simply make it through each day.

How many ways are there to say hello? I don't know exactly, but thinking of how many languages there are on Earth and how many synonyms there are for the word hello in each language, including sign language and friendly gestures, I know it must be a lot.

I wonder how many ways there are to just let someone know I'm thinking of them, to wish them well, or good luck, or offer them hope. In a world so cold as the World Wide Web, if not for words alone, how can I share some positive energy? If I consider how many people I care about and how diverse they are from each other - geographically, culturally, spiritually, race, gender, age, who they love, politics, cat people, dog people, vegetarians, meat eaters, and on, and on, and on - I would never be able come up with just one word that would best wrap up my desire to give all of them collectively exactly what they need, or want, or believe in. So I struggle (sometimes more than others) in each attempt, with each individual person or people, to use the right word. Sometimes I don't get it right, but hopefully when I offer up positive energy, regardless of my word choice, the person or people receive it as the only gift I can give. A piece of me - my time, my energy, my thoughts, my wishes, my hope...my meditations, and yes, my prayers.

Offering someone a "prayer" is like offering good thoughts, good vibes, well wishes, meditation...energy...prayer is positive energy. I really don't think one necessarily needs to "believe" in God, or anything else for that matter, to receive positive energy from someone else. And think about it. Offering positive energy to someone you barely know or someone you've never met, or receiving positive energy, is truly a gift. It's a gift of spirit or essence. It's free and costs nothing.

The exact same gift can come in many different packages, but however it is delivered it is still a gift. As for prayers here, they are little gifts of energy wrapped in a little package of a single word. Why return the gifts?

If one does not "believe" in prayer in the religious meaning of the word, perhaps then they could accept it in a more universal package - positive energy, good thoughts, good vibes.

Synonyms are good. They allow us to understand, to interpret, to relate, to accept words that other people use so they can be made meaningful to us.

Sometimes it is not what we say, but how we say it - sometimes it is not what we read, but how we comprehend it - that gives something worth...

Just a thought...

Phil, you have been here such a long time and have offered so much to so many. I hope that you have also received much in return. I hope though, that a simple word won't cause you to leave, especially because it was one horrible word that brought you here. All of us take what we need and leave the rest, sort of like those free hometown newspapers...some people like them for the crossword puzzle, some for the Suduko, some for the garage sale ads, some to line their cat litter boxes and bird cages....either way, they're useful. I hope Phil, that you can take what you need here and leave the rest... You're a good guy and it's nice having you here. Although there are many times I may not agree with what you say, I do appreciate your point of view.

The older I get the more I'm learning to appreciate people for all of who they are and that I don't have to agree with everything they say or believe or are or look like or where they live to do it. I figure if I shut someone off for one aspect of who they they are I am the one who loses because people are a sum of their parts. I don't have to like all the parts to appreciate their humanity and their value. I learn more from people who are different than me.

oh my
cancer is stressfull enough with out all this starting. We need to focus on healing not fighting or finger pointing I joined this room because I had no clue about cc and what to expect and have learned alot here. I am sorry if anyone here has been offended by my post and answering the call for prayer. I don't believe that anyone should be forced to do something they don't want to do and if someone ask for prayer it is not an order just a request and if anyone feels offended by that post just move on. I for one will not post as much now because of all this and may not come in as offten. I have enough stress in my life that when the place I come to for peace and/or some normality (sp) gets full of the same stuff I put up with every day than it is time to sit back and rethink my being here at all. I have grown close to each of you and hate to see this room fall apart over something that we all need and are afraid to ask for if we don't stand for something we will fall for anything. Cancer is horrible and God leads you through it no matter if you pray or not.Just my point of view.

New Member Comment
I appreciate Phil bringing up this subject. I, too, am sometimes uncomfortable with the religious tone of some posts. I came here for information, support and hope. No place else have I been able to get that. I am 'hungry' for information and, therefore, usually open every post. I'll continue to do that. At this time, I'll overlook the individual ways people have of imparting information and expressing support, hope, and, yes, love and concern. Let's get back to 'business', the cc business. I appreciate your posts when they are direct and fill my needs; please just be a little more sensitive to our differences. We are who we are! We have have what we have; 'it is what it is.' Lynn