Letty, your story reminded me of an experience I had when I was about 8 years old. A new pet kitten I'd had for only a couple weeks disappeared one morning and I was heartbroken. Spent the next few days combing the neighbourhood trying to find it to no avail.

Finally I decided to try praying to 'God' as I'd been taught at (Catholic) church. For a few nights I prayed as fervently as I could that my kitten be returned to me. It never did come back, and my faith was pretty shattered for a long time after that. Why didn't 'God' answer my prayer? Maybe there was no 'God', or my childhood religion was 'wrong' somehow! Looking back now, I can see that my lost kitten helped set me up for a lifetime of exploring different spiritual traditions.

What I've discovered so far in my adult 'spiritual explorations' (some of which have been very disappointing and even downright dangerous!) is this: 'divine' help will ALWAYS come if three conditions are met.

First,there must be true need - the situation I'm asking
about must really exist, and it must be something I absolutely                        
cannot handle on my own. We're here to learn, after all!

Second, I must ask for help, because 'free will' requires that no truly 'spiritual being' will interfere with the life of another being unless specifically invited to do so. That is a spiritual 'law'!

And third, I must be able to recognize and act upon the 'answer' when it does come. This is the really difficult part. So often I've expected or wanted the help to come in a certain way, and when it didn't I'd get discouraged and angry. Later I'd see that the answer DID come, in a way that really did serve my own best interests and the best interests of those around me at the time. I just didn't see it, or didn't WANT to see it then because I had my own human, limited opinions about what was best!

At 8 years old I certainly didn't consider what the kitten itself wanted, only what I wanted! Or how much 'energy' would be required to bring a dead kitten back to life (if it had been killed on the street for example). The Universe is a very efficient place - if it's not warranted, then it won't happen.! Most importantly, I can see now that the experience was vital to how my life ended up unfolding - and I LIKE how my life has unfolded!!!

Bill D - so much confusion seems to exist about what is 'religious' and what is 'spiritual'! They are NOT synonymous imo!!! But we've been through all this before ...


daylia