I came across a friend's blog who is going through some similar life changing experiences as I am. She had a list of things she believed, and I thought it an interesting reflection that I should write about sometime. Sunday Scribbling's latest prompt on belief has given me an excuse to finally start it. I don't write lists, since I tend to want to elaborate into paragraphs. So aside from my reflection on religious beliefs, without further ado:

I believe in the law of attraction.
Yes, I believe that good thoughts and intentions will give you good actions and results just as much as bad thoughts will give you bad results. Positivity and negativity are self perpetuating. I have never read or seen The Secret, but I am interested in the message it conveys. Granted, I think some of the stories are far-fetched but the basic principle is something I can get behind. You have no control over anyone but yourself, so anything outside of yourself as relates to the law of attraction is beyond your control. That being said, I DO believe that sending thoughts or prayers out to the universe may give you "answers", although in places where you may not necessarily expect.

I believe that everyone has choices and free will
Everyone has control over their own actions and decisions. We are not puppets to some grand master plan. Yes, this means I don't believe in fate or destiny. They are nice thoughts, but not practical. If you can't take personal responsibility for your life, and choose to participate in life, then what is the point?

I believe that suffering is universal
We come into this world crying. Life is suffering. The Buddhist perspective teaches that there will always be suffering, but there is a way out of suffering. All things must come to pass, and so too, the impermanence of life. Sometimes, I think the meaning of life is to find happiness, or be happy. Who doesn't want that? But there is a balance, a yin and yang between suffering and happiness. One can't experience happiness without first experiencing suffering. All humans have experienced suffering at some point of their lives, and so we have suffering in common. We are really not so different from eachother if we can only consider that we are all human, and that we have all suffered, and that we all would like to be happy, or at least balanced and content. Because of this...

I believe that we are NOT alone, no matter how lonely one may feel.
I have come across several people who are going through similar things as I am; divorce, break-up, separation, whatever it is, it's HARD. People go through this. It's part of life, living, growing, being. I am not alone, and never will be, no matter how solitary or lonely I may feel. Whatever I've gone through, someone else has already gone through, or worse. People can relate to universal suffering. Because of this, I have been able to find meaning in my suffering and turn it around. I have been feeling a greater sense of compassion and strength for what I am going through. And, I am grateful.

I believe that love exists
I'm not sure if I believe in "the One", because I know that there are way too many people in the world that one can be compatible with. That being said, I DO believe that love exists, and that people can stay together for 50 years. It's a nice thought, a lifepartner, a confidante, a friend. Granted, I'm sure you have to be open to this kind of love with true trust and compassion in order to achieve something so great.. And i'm not sure that i've ever been there yet, but I am young, and I know that my time will come. I believe love does not discriminate, only people do. A love between two men or two women is no lesser of love between a man and woman. I have always been so afraid of commitment, for forever, yet yearned so much for it. I am learning how to come to terms with this, how to have no expectations so there is room for love to grow, how to trust, and how to take the leap of faith with an other..

I believe that everything happens for a reason
It is cliche, but it's something I truly believe. We are put onto this earth to learn, and life may have a series of events that teach us lessons. Nothing is good or bad, it just is. The only thing that is "good" or "bad" is what the mind adds. For example, death is a sad, sometimes traumatic event, but it is neither good or bad, it just is. Death can help you come to terms with grief and maybe teach you about your own life, and how you would like to live it. Heartbreaks teach you strength and independence. No matter what happens in life, you can always learn from your experiences. Everything happens for a reason, and everything will all work out in the end.