Daddy and Religion

Most of Daddy's life, he was not religious. From what one of my sisters say, the last phase of growth for humans is spiritual growth. Which makes sense. As our lives get toward the end, I think we begin to ask, was it good? Daddy began to look for something, some meaning. He often told a story about a solo camping trip he went on in New Mexico. He really liked hiking and in this particular area, an Indian reservation, you were required to have a guide, a Native American guide. Daddy's guide was a chief. I don't remember the details of the story so much as I remember seeing how much this gentleman touched Daddy's soul. I believe, to this day, this was Daddy's ultimate religion, nature. Nature was/is the traditional spiritual teachers for Native Americans and that is why this guide had lasting effects on Daddy. Unfortunately, Daddy did not recognize this as religious, or that nature could be a religion.

I regret, to this day, that Daddy thought Christianity was the answer. Because he thought Christianity was the answer, he believed the wife he found was the one he was destined to be with. Was Daddy happy with her? I think on the surface he was. But, I think if he would have really looked at it, she was far from the best person for him to share his remaining days with. We witnessed his mind getting smaller, he was more judgmental than ever. We witnessed him getting mentally older. We witnessed his world getting smaller and smaller. Maybe this is the natural order of things, maybe not. When I am nearing the end of my life, I hope that my mind is becoming more free, not the other way around. I hope that my heart is embracing all people, not just the ones with the same religion. And, I will never, ever, ever tell my daughter that she will only see me again when I accept Jesus. I will never, ever, ever tell her that I am going to one heaven, and unless she accepts Jesus, she will not be able to enter the same heaven, that she will somehow be going to a lesser heaven. This is what the religion Daddy found made him think. This is what he said to us.

Daddy died with only his sister by his side. Even though he had a wife and four daughters, and multitudes of grandchildren,  his sister was the only one there. The reason for that is directly related to his wife. This is why I hate her. This is why I am so very angry, I may never get past it.

Anyway, I found this article, and I hope that Daddy has let go of the shore and is floating freely, with joy and happiness in his heart.
http://beforeitsnews.com/alternative/2013/04/a-hopi-elder-speaks-the-moment-has-come-2610530.html