Don't Bullshit Me God

When I think about my daughter Laura, everything I

shared with her had been intended to do more than just

amuse her. I had wanted to get her to see "life" in a

different way, and, in so doing, make the world a better

place, at least her world that is. Part of the "see 'life' in a

different way" was to get her to realize that we are all

essentially prisoners of our moment in history and the

culture and weltanschauung into which we are hatched.

At the same time, I tended to doubt all people who

thought there was a logic or intrinsic meaning behind

existence. I believed everything was what it was and

couldn't be anything other than what it was at any

moment in time, a belief I still maintain and think its

promulgation to be the key to a better world.

I tried to get Laura to imagine a world wherein no one

claimed to know the truth about what life was all about,

no one claimed to know what reality was, no one saw

himself or herself to be in a position to judge guilt and

innocence or the why or wherefore of what went on in the

world, and people were finally beginning to realize that is

was very possible that absolutely nothing in existence

could be other than what it was at every moment in time.

I wanted her to realize that if people really understood

this, the world would be a very different place, one of

mystery, awe, wonder, openness, and compassion. I think

Laura at least got my message.

O Earth, how I miss you sometimes...