Buddhism and Myself

Last night was really an enlightening experience.  Naz held an open house for the center for spirituality, inviting students from all walks of faith to join either the Catholic, Protestant, Muslim, or Buddhist meetings - ( think there were more but I dont remember them all.)  Now here's my issue...like I've said before, I dont find myself to be super religious, but I do believe I am a spiritual person.  I was raised in a very interesting church that is technically catholic, but extremely liberal.  (we actually got excommunicated for supporting gay marriage and allowing women on the alter.)  So going to church as I kid, I never really knew exactly what I was, I always just considered us the hippy church and I am so proud to be apart of it. But suddenly here I am, in this beautiful center for spirituality, totally feeling like I dont know where I belong, but knowing for sure that I am supposed to be there...somewhere.

I asked a friend who actually has been going to the same church as me for a long time, which mass might suit me best and she suggested the Catholic mass because it might be more familiar to me.  I had every intention of taking her advice, and while the mass was getting set up, there was a bit of down time to explore the rooms.  So I wandered into the zen meditation room to check it out where I ended up meeting Jessica.  Jessica was really really cool.  She practices Tibetan Buddhism and she started to explain to me some of it, and of course....I couldnt stop listening and asking questions.  It was so interesting I could have stayed there for hours...and I kind of did.  I started to hear the Catholic mass start up in the chapel, but something was just telling me to stay.  More and more people joined the group, students and faculty and the discussion was just so amazing and eye opening.  I had so many misconceptions about Buddhism, and was really excited about all the concepts of it.  There is so much connectivity in all religions that it makes me kind of angry that they try and compete with each other.  Love, compassion, truth, are present in every religion I have come across so far in my life, I dont understand how some religions view other religions as being "wrong."

While I was sitting there I just kept thinking about how the things I believe in and how...thus far, I havent really found my place in a certain religion because my morals and values tie into so many.  I'm like a mutt.  I believe in love more than anything and that it is the root of goodness in the world.  I believe that in our humanity, striving to be good, and truthful, and thankful and to question things is must.  I can't really explain exactly what I was feeling as I listened to Jessica and Chris and some others talk about their experience and their own personal truths, other than saying that I just felt...full.  I had an art professor at our advisement meeting say, "Start thinking creatively now.  Go experience things and see things, look for inspiration so that when you get to really express yourself with your art, you know what you want to say."  I wondered about my future work while I sat in the zen room, I wondered about how this might affect the things I create and it felt so right to be there. 

What do I want say?  Theres so much.  So much.