Ah, that's better. At least a little.

I attended Unitarian Universalist services again this morning, and I'm just that much more convinced this is my path. I love the idea they welcome everyone, regardless of who they are and what they believe. I respect their love of healthy debate and lack of any hard and fast rules about what truth is. I also appreciate their dedication to community service, as well as their political activism. And I know it's only been two weeks, but I've been interested in this church for a while now. Before I started noticing them I was into the transcendentalists, and the UUC philosophy is really pretty doggone similar to that. In fact, most of the transcendentalists were members of the UUC.

Everything this group stands for seems to directly touch on either a pre-existing belief of mine or a resolution for something I'd like to change about myself. They encourage individualism but also foster a sense of community. As far as religions go I think this one's as nearly perfect as any.

Fortuitously, in two weeks they're going to start on a series instructing new members on the basic principles of the religion, through an examination of finding one's personal path. Each week will take on a different tenet, and while I can't attend most of the Monday night "companion" sessions, since I have grad school, I can at least attend as many of the Sunday services as I'm able.

In eight weeks I should have at least the beginning of a handle on exactly what my spirituality entails, and a working knowledge of what I think I may believe (always subject to change, of course). That's pretty mind-boggling if you think about it, considering I haven't managed to accomplish that in 41 years of searching.

They don't call this a mid-life crisis for nothing, do they?! Sheesh. I didn't think I'd buy into all the "oh I'm in my 40s so I better have significant upheaval in all aspects of my life.." But look at me. I'm a self help book junkie. I'd be embarrassed to count the number of these books I've either bought or checked out of the library in the last six months. I'm on the cusp of joining a church community. I keep more journals than I can even keep track of. In fact, I need a journal to keep track of my journals. Now THAT, my friends is pathetic.

Of course that's not the end of it, but only the beginning. Life is dynamic, and it'll be an ongoing process between the study and all the soul searching. None of this will be easy. But still, a beginning is more than I had going in, so I'm really pretty content with that.

I'll post here, week by week, as I go through the program. I'll of course keep copious notes in my journal, too. This time it'll be the black one, the leather one with the really cool, handmade looking paper. I got that one at Half Price Books for a mere five bucks. I'm nothing if not thrifty.

Okay, to be honest, I'm not usually thrifty. This time I just got lucky.

Speaking of lucky, wish me some.