Wildflowers

If you got a moment, which I assume you do cuz you’re here, I’d like to discuss my feelings on a controversial word (of sorts) in our society today.

That word is…..prayer.

What do you think of when you hear, read or say the word prayer?  Until today I thought prayer was reserved for my personal conversation with God, Jesus, the Holy Spirit….the Holy Trinity.  But in, and as part of my conversations….I ask questions.

Rarely, really rarely….have I ever got immediate responses to my questions.  But as you know…patience is a virtue.  So answers develop and some have yet to be or may never be answered.  But today I got one and I cried about it during & afterwards a bit & maybe you’ll understand why if I can explain this properly….I will certainly try.

Prayer can & should be more than religious ceremony.  Prayer can & should be shared & joined in togetherness to strengthen its resolve. So we bow our heads & pray to the Trinity….but what do we do if we wanna talk to someone besides the Holy Trinity, say our deceased grand-father…is that prayer?  What is it then? It’s not a séance, I just wanna talk to gramps…let ‘em know I’m thinking about him & need some advice….even if it takes years to get it.   Its not prayer in the strict sense of course, you’re not worshipping gramps, you’re not idolizing him, he’s just another soul your spirit can reach out to….so what is it?   I call it spiritual meditation.   I guess in a sense you’re praying to gramps cuz he’s passed from this Earth, but the word prayer, I feel, should be reserved for the Trinity.

So why the controversy?  Well if I told you that I talk to spirits & souls you’d roll your eyes.  If I said, I’m praying to Jesus & my gramps, you’d think that’s cool (I hope).  

So the answer moment…..Mid day I’m putting some CD’s on to listen to and I put in disk 2 of Tom Pettys The Best of Everything & the first track is “Wildflowers”.   I have numerous issues & reasons to pray as we all do & many blessings to be thankful for, but as the words to that song played out in that moment…. I looked to the sky and said in my meditation…..Hey Tom, thanks for a wonderful song & by the way…what would you do about???...I checked myself….& thru my tear filled eyes I wondered, was that wrong?  And instantly a word popped in my head…..No.

He didn’t answer me, the lyrics & his song did…from His Spirit thru his spirit.  In that moment I realized it’s ok to ask for help, it doesn’t always have to involve the Trinity.  Hey, they need a break now & then from all those prayer requests.  So spread the spiritual wealth a bit thru spiritual meditation & the strict religious zealots that think it’s a sacrilege….well, they’re just wrong about that.

So here’s the real point I’m trying to make.  How much time do you spend a day in prayer?  How much time do you spend in spiritual meditation?  I’ll hazard a guess that a few minutes a day in prayer be bout average, I dunno.  Ok, how bout you expand your quiet moments a bit more and pick out 2 or 3 role models in your life, alive or dead, famous or not & just have a personal private conversation, you’re not worshipping….you’re talking.

If I tell someone I prayed for 2 hours today, they’d think man that dudes got issues.  If I say I meditated for 2 hours today they’d think, man where do you find the time, wish I could do that, good for you.

Thus the controversy….prayer is meditation to the Trinity, meditation can be a spiritual tool you can use to guide you on your life’s journey.  Jesus is not the only one who can help you, there’s lots of Guardian Angels out there…& there’s no controversy in reaching out to them in good or bad times, or anytime in your private moments.  

If you spend an extra few minutes a day reaching out to your heroes thru spiritual meditation I believe you’ll find it can have both emotional & calming benefits & there is no sacrilege cuz there’s no idolization.

Tom Petty is one of my heroes, his lyrics & music are prophetic & I know his spirit touched millions of his fans…so why not say Howdy now & then….I know he’d appreciate it…he’s not learning to fly anymore, he’s got his wings for sure.  But…it gets lonely sometimes just cruising the clouds.

Thank you Tom & the Heartbreaker band members & back stagers who brought his music to us….it’s part of our history & I for one am grateful I was alive & could share in a bit of his story.

As the moon rises on another night, I long to be free in a mountain side full of wildflowers, looking out to sea.

Have a spectacular day, say a prayer for Love. ✝️

Ecclesiastes Chapters 3.4 & 5