Why Were You Created?

There are those who wrestle with the timeless question, WHY WAS I CREATED? They wonder what is their purpose in life. I believe I first wondered what was my purpose in life and as life began to beat me up, I wondered why was I created.

If you are of the Christian faith, it is almost DRILLED into the followers that God created humans and gave them a talent/gift and purpose. It is up to us to learn what our talent/gift is and live into it. Teachers/preachers of the Bible use the Parable of the Talents in Scripture to show it is imparative that we use the "talent" gift that God has given to us from Mathew 25:14-30. 

In the parable a master gave three men different amounts of money. One man he gave 5 talents, the second man he gave 2 talents, and the last man he gave 1 talent according to their abilities. The one he gave 5 talents went and made 5 more talents with the original 5 he was given. The man with 2 talents made 2 more talents. To the servants who DOUBLED their talents the master said, "Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master." The man with 1 talent buried his which DISPLEASED the master. He did not double his talent. He called the man wicked and slothful and took his talent and gave it to one of the other men. The master then said, "For to everyone who has will more be given, and he will have an abundance. But from the one who has not, even what he has will be taken away." In this passage the master represents God and the servants represents us. Instead of the talent maintaining its original meaning of MONEY, it is often taught to mean a person's personal talent or gift given to them by God. It is taught God expects us to use our talent or it will be taken away from us.

The switching from money (talent), to an individuals gift has caused people to search for their gift or talent for ages. Failing to find their gift/talent causes frustration and fear. Add to the mix that Christianinty frowns upon teaching predestination which is throughout the Bible, many become desparate trying to figure out what PURPOSE they were created for.

In other creation stories from around the world, the creation of man was an after thought. Humans were created out of waste material, even disgusting materials. There was no purpose for humans. There were not any special gifts or talents given to humans. Humans are always created last on the rung of creation. Everything else we see and enjoy such as the sky, sea, and animals all came before man.

The Western thought about ourselves has indoctrinated us to believe we are more important than other aspects of creation mainly because we are supposed to be the most intelligent, capable of great things. We set ourselves above the elements of nature and other creations such as the heavens, seas, nature, and animals. With such a high view of ourselves, we then believe we are supposed to acheive great things because we have gifts. 

We preesure ourselve, stress, and search trying to find that gift or purpose for being when the sun does not stress or feel pressure to be the sun. The stars, sea, trees, birds, and other animals do not stress about their gifts or purpose because their existence is their gift and purpose already. 

There is another part of Scripture which instructs us not to worry, “Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? 27 Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life? And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin. Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these. If that is how God clothes the grass of the feild, which is here today and tomorrow thrown into the fire, will he not mouch more clothe you - you of little faith" Matthew 6:25-34. In this passage we see everything and everyone is cared for and just need to focus on being.

We may live and never find out what our talent, gift, or purpose for being is and miss the joy of just being. We need to take the time and thnk about the other parts of creation which do not get wrapped up in trying to figure out why they exist but exist as they were intended to exist. A flower grows, blooms, and dies. As a Master Gardener, I look forward to the process each spring and enjoy the flowers their entire season until they are gone. Enjoy your process of growing and blooming and know in the end, you must end. But during your time, others enjoy your process also. They look forward to it. Remain humble, knowing their are creation stories which say, as humans, you are not as important as you have been led to believe. Elevating yourself above everything else in creation, may not be the healthiest stance to take.

Below are a few creation stories that are far from the creation ideal of humans in the Christian teachings. No matter whether you believe any of the creation stories of humans, stop stressing and worrying about whether your are not using your gift/talent or failing to reach your purpose. Be as the birds of the air and flowers of the field and realize, being is a gift in of itself. 

A long story of creation begins in Babylon where two watery tumultuous beings, one female and one male are the center of the story. Apsu, which is seen as sweet water represents the male and Tiamet, seen as salt water, represented the female. The union of Apsu and Tiamet produces a varieties of sea creatures and gods. In the chaos Tiamet the female creator tries to take control, but her descendants unite against her, choosing the god of Babylon; Marduk to lead them.

Armed with hurricanes, Marduk meets Tiamet and her evil accomplice Kingu in battle and kills Tiamet and Kingu both. Marduk splits the monstrous corpse of Tiamet into two parts. From one half of Tiamet, Marduk creates the earth and from the other half he creates the heavens, In the heavens he constructs a dwelling place for his colleagues, the gods. Marduk realized they would need servants, so he uses the blood of Kingu to create the first man. Take notice of the materials this myth uses to create man.  

In India Purusha is a primal man sacrificed by the gods as the act of creation. The sky comes from his head, the earth from his feet, the sun from his eyes, and the moon from his mind. The four castes of Hindu society are derived from his body. Birds and animals came from his fat which drips from him during the sacrifice.

The account of mankind from China teaches Pan Ku is hatched from a cosmic egg. Half of the shell is above him as the sky and the other half below him as the earth. He grows taller each day for 18,000 years gradually pushing the two parts apart until they reach their appointed places ultimately falling to pieces. His limbs become the mountains, his voice becomes the thunder, his blood the rivers, his breath becomes the wind, his two eyes become the sun and the moon, and the parasite on his body becomes mankind.

In the drawn-out origin story of the earth from Greece there are several gods vying for power. Eventually Zeus becomes the powerful leader. During all the chaos of battles somehow mankind arrives on earth but it’s not clear how. But men are certainly there because a free-thinking Titan named Prometheus, smuggles to mankind the valuable resource of fire. In one of many versions how the present-day man originated is that Zeus being mad at Prometheus, sends a great flood to drown mankind but two humans escape in an ark. When the flood subsides the Oracle of Delphi told the two to cast behind them two bones of their first ancestors who they reasoned was Gaea, the earth. The two threw stones over their shoulders and out of each stone a human being is created.

In Japan, the origin story does not lead to the first man but to the first emperor. Jimmu-Tenno was the first Japanese emperor with three items given to him by Ninigi, great grandfather of Jimmu-Tenno. He was given a jeweled necklace symbolizing benevolence, a mirror for purity, and a sword symbolizing courage. A necklace, mirror, and sword are still the Japanese Imperial symbols kept in an inner sanctuary of Shinto Shrines.

The Norse theory has the origin of man originating from German tribes who gradually moved south through Europe from the shores of the Baltic. It is in Scandinavia that the Germanic legends are eventually recorded and preserved in the stories of the Norse gods.

In the beginning there was nothing. Gradually water fills the space which freezes then partially melts. From the drops of melting water, a giant in human form emerges called Ymir. From Ymir armpit a man and a woman appear; giants like him. Meanwhile a cow licked the melting ice and revealed another giant who the god Odin descends. Odin and his brothers kill Ymir in his old age. Of Ymir’s flesh they make the earth, of his skull the heavens, out of his blood the sea, of his bone the mountains, and out of his hair trees.

The maggots in Ymir’s corpse take the form of stunted humans, dwarfs to remain in his body beneath the surface of the earth. On earth Odin and his colleagues breathe life into two tree trunks turning them into the first man and woman.

***Origin/Cration stories and topic are excerps from my manuscript, Manhood Interrupted but Never Denied.****

Life Began In A Garden?

 

    There are two held explainations for the creation of the universe. One is the Big Bang Theory where there was a big explosion in the cosmos and atomic particles collided, stuck together, and began to form the smallest makeup of other planets, stars, astrological matter, and living matter which gradually, through time, evolved from plant life, aquatic life, animal life, and finally human life. 

    The second explaination for the formation of the universe lies in religion. In Christianity, it is believed God created everything the eye can view within seven days. Other religions have their own particular creation story with their own various gods, but it does not entail a 'big bang' as the first theory of creation does.

    For this post and as far as the theory I chose to believe, I go with the Christian biblical account in which God created the universe and all that is in it. This writing is not to persuade you in one direction or the next but to talk about the PLACE in which human life was placed to dwell according to Genisis 2: 8-9, "Now the Lord God HAD planted a garden in the east, in Eden; and there he put the man he HAD formed. and the Lord God made all kinds of trees grow out of the ground - trees that were PLEASING to the eye and GOOD for food..." It is from here the story of MAN BEGINS and continues even now. Earlier in Genesis 1:11, on day three of the Creation story it says, "Let the land produce vegegation: seed-bearing plants and trees on the land that bear fruit with seed in it, according to their various kinds," In Genesis two it says no SHRUB of the FIELD nor PLANT of the FEILD had yet appeared before he created man to put in the Garden of Eden (Genesis 2:5-7), but Genesis 1 says there WAS vegetation and trees, and once the first man was created, notice the tress were called pleasing to the eye and good for food.

    I had the wonderful opportunity to be with New Jerusalem Church for Children's Garden Day in which we encouraged the children to sow seeds. Of course this day had duel meaning. It was a day set aside to encourage children to enjoy gardening and nature and to also be mindful of the seeds they sow in their lives and to be a seed planter for the kingdom of God. I guess that was three purposes lol.

    The message I wanted to impart to them and to you the reader is (If you are of the biblical Creation story persausion) is: life BEGAN in a beautiful garden. It was intended for us to be surrounded by beauty and that defined beauty was PLANTS. To some, this may be an arbitrary coincidence that life began in a garden. But is it really?

    There are many benefits plants and gardening affords the human body and mind. Author Gretchen Rubin, penned a book, Life in Five Senses, where she said to have a happy life, live it through the five senses of sight, smell, taste, touch, and hearing. She said we should use our five senses, tuning into the physical world and living in the present. A garden allows you to do just that on top of releiving stress and elevating mood. 

HEARING: Listening to music during exercise boosts performance and makes exertion seem less strenuous. Music improves our health, and it also makes us feel good. There’s a reason why we talk about “sex, drugs, and rock & roll.” Hearing a favorite song stimulates the same brain chemicals as drugs, sex, and good food. That’s why it’s one of the quickest ways to get a mood boost and relief from stress. Nature has its own UNIQUE MUSIC. The birds, crickets, frogs, bees, wind, and rain, SING a song waiting for your ears to hear. Water features in a garden mimics the soothing bubbling sound of a brook and relaxes the quiet listener. Studies show people who listened to nature sounds like crickets chirping and waves crashing performed better on demanding cognitive tests than those who listened to urban sounds like traffic and the clatter of a busy café.  

SMELL: By taking a quick sniff of fresh grapefruit or vanilla, your mood can be drastically changed. The smell of flowers or even herbs can be an uplifting experience. Certain floral scents are pretty famous for relieving headaches and insomnia. Jasmine, similar to lavender, is used to calm the nerves of those that are stressed out or overwhelmed. Not only does it reduce those feelings of stress, but it actually is able to stimulate feelings of positivity and energy. Peppermint is a great tool to be used during brainstorming, as it has been shown to invigorate the mind, while creating a feeling of clarity. Lavender is quite known for boosting energy and increasing mental activities. The aroma of rosemary is highly stimulating and can boost your levels of acetylcholine (a chemical that regulates your muscles and memory) and dopamine. Magnolia is especially popular in Chinese medicine as an effective treatment for tensions and stress. Roses are a famous symbol of love but also because they can lower your stress hormone, adrenaline. 

TOUCH: If we want to combat stress and distraction, we can turn to our sense of touch. Little kids, for example, hang on to stuffed animals for comfort and reassurance. It is a pure joy for me to walk on the cool grass barefoot. It just feels luxurious, sensuous, and calming. I also enjoy feeling the velvety smoothness of rose petals. Picking a firm ripened piece or fruit or vegatble I've grown myself fills me with pride and a sense of accomplishment. Just slowing down, reaching out, and touching nature yeilds surprising feelings. Even the simple act of holding a flower makes you feel better.

TASTE: When it comes to taste, many people love taste-related activities such as cooking, exploring farmers’ markets, trying new restaurants, or even watching TV shows about cooking and eating. What better way to explore food than to plant and grow your own? Plant and grow something you may have written off as NASTY. Maybe if you plant and nurture it to maturity, find a new way to cook it, invite friends or family over for a tasting party, you may find you now love it. Either way, let your tastebuds roam free and enjoy socializing and stregnthing relationships bonds at the same time. A plus plus endeavour. Taste also hold memories of  food favorites from childhood, a celebratory meal from a major event in your life, romantic meals once shared, or meals cooked and eaten at grandma's house. 

SIGHT: Have you ever heard the saying, "The eyes are the window to the soul?" This saying means you can see a person's soul by looking into their eyes. I say, "What you look at with your eyes affect your soul." Matthew 6:22, " The light of the body is the eye;" This Bible verse says what you focus your eye on affects you. It encourages you to focus on things that are right to avoid darkness within. What we focus our EYE ON IS IMPORTANT. How wonderful to give the eye a break from the ugliness of life and to look upon the beauty of a flower or plant.

    From a stroll through a city park to a day spent hiking in the wilderness, exposure to nature has been linked to a host of benefits, including improved attention, lower stress, better mood, reduced risk of psychiatric disorders and even upticks in empathy and cooperation. University of Chicago psychologist Marc Berman, PhD, and his student Kathryn Schertz explored in a 2019 review and reported, for instance, that green spaces near schools promote cognitive development in children and green views near children’s homes promote self-control behaviors. Experiments have found that being exposed to natural environments improves working memory, cognitive flexibility and attentional control. No wonder man was created and placed in a garden. Just a few moments of green can perk up a tired brain.

     Contact with nature is associated with increases in happiness, subjective well-being, positive affect, positive social interactions and a sense of meaning and purpose in life, as well as decreases in mental distress. Gardens and gardening impacts children. Children who lived in neighborhoods with more green space had a reduced risk of many psychiatric disorders later in life, including depression, mood disorders, schizophrenia, eating disorders and substance use disorder. For those with the lowest levels of green space exposure during childhood, the risk of developing mental illness was 55% higher than for those who grew up with abundant green space. 

    As I stated in the beginning of this writing, this writing is not about religious beliefs but about my belief that GARDENING matters to LIFE. Hopefully I have convinced you that you were meant to be surrounded by the beauty of nature; planted and enjoyed by you everyday. The benefits are limitless and sharable. Getting this generation connected again with the understanding "Life BEGINS in a garden," is a mission I fully embrace. Thanks to the little gardeners of New Jerusalem church for being a participant in my blog sharing their images.