I have never tasted alcohol. I know it is rare for somebody to be able to say that but I don't really feel that strange about it. Personal beliefs and a fear of being transmogified by my mother kept me from imbibing as a youth. As an adult, my personal beliefs were strengthened and I never really felt the desire to take up the habit.
In high school I could barely stand the smell of beer and my friends that began drinking told me that it did not taste very good either. When I asked them why they drank it, they said because they liked the way it made them feel. Inevitably, someone would always say, "it is an acquired taste".
That always sounded funny to me, and I often wondered why anyone would want to acquire a taste for something that didn't taste very good to begin with. Since I did not try it, I did not have the experience needed to make a fair judgement on the matter. My friends that drank, became less affected by the taste and more enamored with its effects.
Developing Habits
Throughout my life, I have had many similar experiences where it was necessary to stick with something long enough to make it a habit. I have developed both bad habits and good habits. Generally speaking, neither one tasted very good at first.
It seems to me though, that the effort required to develop bad habits is much less than what is required to develop good habits. The distasteful effects of the bad habits are often hidden by the seemingly positive effects it produces. Bad habits generally feel better in the moment. They seem to produce immediate results, while good habits take a while to deliver their ROI.
For example, spending time on the couch watching TV, when I could be spending time writing my book, seems like a much more desirable activity. I can rationalize the time I spend watching TV and call it family time. My family thought would rather be doing many other things, but in front of the TV is where we congregate. Before we know it, we are into the plot lines of the shows and they begin to rule our life.
Living In Faith
Almost every good habit I develop requires me to have faith that I can develop it. The word "faith" may seem like a strange word. It often evokes thoughts of religion, and as a result, very few people, in my opinion, understand how important it is to everyday living. The walls that come up in the minds and hearts of people when religion is discussed are very easily discerned. It is sometimes quite humorous to see. You may feel those walls going up now. Drink those feelings in for a moment and notice how they taste and then swallow it down.
Having faith requires us to believe in things we can not see. These are things that we can only hope for, because we have no real evidence that they will ever come to pass. The only evidence we have is the way we feel when we think about those things of which we are hoping to occur.
I do not wish to remove faith from its religious connotations. In fact, I want to fully acknowledge it. Living in faith is a more excellent way of living. When I walk by faith, I am better able to enjoy my life. I see things the way they really are and I believe that I can overcome the depressing grip of the world.
I know that discussions of religious faith make many of us feel a little uncomfortable. It might smell and taste a little bad at first, and so I simply say that it is an acquired taste. If you allow yourself the opportunity to test it, you might find that you like the effects it will bring to your life.
What Is Your Faith?
I grew up in a home where the concept of faith was regularly discussed. My hallucination is that you did too. Most people I meet tell me that it was true of their upbringing. Yet, for some reason, many of us have moved away from faith based living.
The intent of this post is to invite you to find your faith and to connect it to your life. I believe that if you do, you will more fully enjoy your life because you will not be so affected by the effects of the world. You will have a greater sense of peace and a greater awareness of your purpose. You will be connected with a higher law and a higher purpose. That will definitely help you become the best you possible. I am not advocating any particular faith, I am simply asking you to reexamine yours.
How Do You Feel?
I hope I have said enough to get you thinking about the impact of faith in your life. It is most definitely an acquired taste. I hope this discussion creates an opportunity for you to think about this topic in a non-threatening way. I want you to see it through your eyes and hear it in your voice. I have been careful not to say too much. I could say much more. As always, I would be happy to discuss it more deeply with you in a one-on-one conversation.
Have Faith!
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