2020-04-10 – I have a sticker on the wall above my desk. It says: “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” I don’t usually go in for stuff like this, but this one caught my eye ar a tourist shop in Whitefish, MT.

It’s about taking control of your life, not waiting.

I’m on a roll here, so let’s continue with another cliché: “There are no atheists in foxholes.” This one is supposed to mean that at times of fear, everyone believes in a god. Times like now.

Now, I am what you could fairly call a tepid-atheist. I say “tepid,” because I don’t really make a big deal about it. I respect your faith (or lack thereof) and have no interest in swaying you to my point of view. I don’t even hold to the lack-of-god as an absolute. If there is a god, I’m good with that. I even like some religious ritual. I usually make a big deal about Passover, which we couldn’t celebrate in the usual way this year. I like the songs. And I love the message of freedom and solidarity with the oppressed. “In every generation we must see that we ourselves are personally emerging from bondage.”

And here’s my secret prayer. It has three words: “Help me, God.” I mutter this when I’m feeling overwhelmed.

The thing is: I know not to wait for an answer. That’s the atheist in me. For me, life is about creating myself. The words are posted on the wall above my desk. This is an atheist’s “prayer.”

And here’s the other secret. All this applies equally to anyone’s prayer, whether you believe in a god or not. The help doesn’t come from outside. It comes from within you.

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