Reply #126: Well, here I am a week late

[TallahasseeGrannie]

on this thread.

You know, I am going to be real and admit something. I have a friend who calls herself an atheist, and God forgive me (you know what I mean) when she'd tell me that I'd tell her that I felt she had a ...gulp...belief system, because she is a scientist, married to one of the world's most famous physicists, and believes completely in the sanctity of the scientific method. I realize now that was insensitive on my part. But I'd like to explain why I did it. It really was not belittling HER choices but rather attempting to find commonality with her. I realize now that my consciousness has been raised by A/Ag's here that to her, it could have come across as dismissive.

We have many other things in common: we are both mothers, grandmothers, teachers, and have a very similar world view on other issues.

I think the issue of belief/disbelief was at that time such an enormous gulf between us that it frightened me. It doesn't anymore. Her husband died two years ago and she expressed a wonder "where he had gone." Not that she suddenly believed in an afterlife, but she was dealing with his sudden disappearance from her life, and it was curious to her. Then I realized that belief or not, we all are living in a great and grand mystery and botton line is we just don't know.