Well it’s that time again to post my monthly set of spiritual questions for each of you to ponder, except this time around, I decided to start including my own answers to each of them as well. So let me get right to it then, here are the questions:
- What place do you like to visit near you when you want to find a little slice of peace and serenity?
- What hobbies do you like to do that bring you joy?
- What was one thing you really liked to do as a kid that brought you great happiness and when was the last time you did it?
- Is meditation a regular part of your life, if so, what does it look like?
- What was the last book you read that truly uplifted you?
- If you had the ability to go back to school to learn something new, what would it be?
- Have you ever done a random act of kindness for a total stranger, if so, what was it?
- If you could spend an entire day with one famous person (alive or deceased) that you feel represents a spiritual person, who would it be with?
- What spiritual issue in this world would you most like to see fully resolved in your lifetime?
- If you had the resources to go live anywhere in this world right now, what place do you think you’d go to that would bring you happiness?
And as always, one more question for good measure…
- What person currently living most represents the kind of person you wish to become?
Here are my answers:
- Walking around the rock beds and along the water of the Maumee River in Maumee, Ohio.
- Doing puzzles, writing for my blog, and gardening.
- Playing miniature golf, late fall 2014 before it got too cold.
- Yes, 40 minutes either in the early morning or very late at night each day, breathing in for 10 seconds, holding 10 seconds, breathing out for 10 seconds, and holding 10 seconds.
- The Afterlife of Billy Fingers.
- Spanish
- Yes, bought coffees and other breakfast items for strangers at Starbucks, Bigby, and Dunkin Donuts.
- The original Buddha, Siddhartha Gautama.
- Full acceptance and equality for gays and lesbians.
- Tampa, Florida and preferably waterfront.
- The Dalai Lama.
Peace, love, light, and joy,
Andrew Arthur Dawson
I love this..here are a few of my answers. 1. South Caoe Beach in Mashpee. 2. I love to paint. 3. We built forts in the woods behind my house as kids. Something incredible about that. And it’s been a long time. 4. Yes I meditate daily. Upon awakening: 30 minutes and then if needed at different points throughout my day I can stop for a few minutes and just clear my head. Skipping 5&6. 7. I work at the AIDS Support Group- my job involves random acts of kindness daily. I’m blessed. 8. Mother Theresa. 10. I would stay where I am. I love where God dropped me.
Thanks for answering and love your answer to 8. That almost was my answer as well you know. 🙂 Never been to south canoe beach in masphpee… sounds tranquil… 🙂
Here’s my answers:
1) The Botanical Gardens at Nathaniel Greene Park in Springfield, MO.
2) Storytelling and learning the autoharp
3) Swimming in warm ocean waters – something I’ve not since 1995 in La Jolla near San Diego.
4) More like semi-regular, using instrumental music as a guided-imagery meditation.
5) “The Gifts of Imperfection” by Brene’ Brown.
6) Woodworking, eventually cabinet-making.
7) Lots of times – the one that stands out was watching a hungry man watching us eat pizza, and inviting him in to join us.
8) Pete Seeger – his love for people and his passion for justice has always amazed me
9) Hunger. I find it extremely painful to know that there are people so hungry that they can only see God as “The Bread of Life.”
10) Ah – a trick question! After all, everyone knows that going somewhere – anywhere – doesn’t bring happiness. My happiness or unhappiness goes with me regardless of my location. But the resorts where the “rooms” are built on stilts over the blue-green sea near the beach? It would be hard to wipe the smile off my face…
11) Two of the people I would have named in an instant, Brennan Manning (“The Ragamuffin Gospel”) and Mike Yaconelli (“Dangerous Wonder”), have died in the last year or so. Of the living ones, Rabbi David Wolpe (“Why Faith Matters”) and Sara Miles (“Take This Bread”) would be two near the top of the list.
Hmm… the autoharp.. not sure what that is… but sounds cool! I love your answer to #3 of course. Pete Seeger… interesting choice… and good pick up on #10, as I was aiming for that to appear from others. 🙂