The Essential Spirituality

When I was a kid, I saw real magic. My friend performed it for me. It involved a dollar bill and that same dollar disappearing.

When I realized I wouldn’t get the dollar back, I was upset, but my friend told me that it was worth it to “watch real magic.”

A week later I watched that same friend perform the same ‘magic’ for someone else, but this time from another angle. I realized it wasn’t ‘real magic’ as he had insisted. Instead it was slight of hand; deception.

I didn’t want to believe it. I didn’t want to believe that my friend who I trusted would trick me for his own gain, but there I saw the hard truth. It harmed our friendship.

I was angry. I wanted to hurt him the same way he had hurt me. I wanted to burn bridges and never talk to him again. I wanted to betray what I assume was mutual trust.

I’m not angry at him anymore. Not at all. We’re not friends anymore, either. While I can still conjure up those feelings of hurt, loss, and betrayal; it was years ago. I’m over it.

I’m telling you this story as a parable. It’s about moving on. An allegory for leaving behind hurt feelings, that sense of loss and betrayal.

That story is as much about the Mormon church as it is about my childhood pal. Sure, I was swindled by people I trusted (most of whom believed their intentions to be honorable), but it’s time for me to move on with my life.

When I left the church I rejected anything that had even a minor resemblance to religion. “Spirituality was the motivation of fools.” I’d think to myself. I left the church behind, and with it any sense of faith I may’ve had. Faith was the tool of the oppressor, after all.

But as I’ve grown I’ve realized that spirituality is an essential part of most peoples lives. While I am, for all intents and purposes, an atheist — as much as that word harshes my mellow — I am most certainly a spiritual man.

I used to believe that spirituality was blissful ignorance, or people’s way of relishing in stupidity. I now know how wholly errant my arrogant younger self truly was.

To me, spirituality is about connecting with other people on a deep and animal level. Spirituality is about seeking inner peace by having that same deep connection with yourself. And finally, spirituality is about feeling connected to something bigger than yourself.

There’s nothing intangible here except for ideas. There’s no god to be sated, or tithe to pay. Just feel that connection. Choose your friends wisely and love them till death. Hug your family tightly and love them in spite of their flaws. Be passionate about your work. Have worthwhile and fulfilling duties. Adore your boss (or work for yourself) and the people you work with. Never end a day until you’ve learned something new. And above all, love yourself.