The online free dictionary defines skepticism as "a doubting or questioning attitude or state of mind," and cynicism as "an attitude of scornful or jaded negativity, especially a general distrust of the integrity or professed motives of others." The two terms are often used interchangeably, but cynicism is worse than skepticism. One can be skeptical without being negative. A skeptic simply questions (and sometimes moves beyond questioning to doubt), and there's nothing wrong with questioning. It's more of a logic, intellect, and understanding thing. But cynics are on another level - cynics don't believe or trust in nearly anything, and their attitudes towards others and all of their actions, words, or intentions are not only negative, but critical and fault-finding. Cynics seek to poke holes in the ideas of others, they close themselves off to the possibility of truth or enlightenment on the topic of whatever it is they doubt. Skeptics, however, are more open - they will allow you to show them evidence that proves the matter, even if they start off questioning it.
Now that we've cleared that up, some statistics for you: Out of an average group of 100 people polled in a nearby community, 7 reported battling with depression, 12 had experienced anxiety, 7 had addiction problems, 8 were unemployed, and the majority of the rest of the group shared feelings of hopelessness, fogginess, and general apathy towards life. Another common denominator was that 60 of those 100 people had no sort of faith whatsoever - no religious or spiritual affiliations, no personal beliefs, just themselves and their own lives. Many explained feeling powerless and alone, afraid to make moves or take risks in their lives for fear of failing. Thinking nothing better was out there for them, they were cynical and full of self-doubt.
Everyone has their own story. And I'm not making this a religious thing, but just a faith in general thing, a belief in something bigger than yourself. I'm sure there are reasons why non-believers don't believe. I'm not here to judge or challenge anyone, I'm just sharing my own position. I know a couple of people who aren't particularly spiritual but explained that they felt differently after having children, that it was a feeling they couldn't quite put into words other than to say they realized it wasn't just them in the world anymore (and not just literally). But there's a bigger story, and a bigger picture. It's bigger than any of us, but we all play a part in it.
I'm sure you can think back to at least one time in your life when you were afraid to do something, almost paralyzed by your fear, like something was holding you back and you just couldn't seem to get started. And then maybe there came a time when something in your life required a leap of faith and you plunged into something with your eyes closed and your mind and heart open, just hoping and trusting it would all work out. You had faith. Maybe you don't believe in the power of positive thinking, but I do and its effects are very similar to having faith (any kind of faith). But faith and hope are different. Positive thinking and optimism, hoping something will work out, that's not the same as knowing and trusting that it will - without empirical evidence, without knowledge of the future, without supporting details - that's called faith. I strongly believe that if you constantly exude negative energy and thoughts, negativity will manifest in your life. But conversely, thinking positively and having faith can change everything. When you change your thoughts and the way you look at things, the things you look at change. "Be the change you wish to see in the world," as Gandhi so simply put it.
Imagine yourself walking a tightrope over a fjord hundreds of feet above nothing but fog, glacial rock and ice cold water. You'd need more than concentration and luck to make it across. In a life-or-death situation, you would truly need faith that something bigger than yourself would carry you to the other side. Would you dare be cynical in a situation like that? Right as you were dangling your foot out over the edge of the precipice, about to take that first crucial step, would you really tell yourself there's no way you're making it across and that it could never happen and that you're probably just going to die? What if your child (or lover or parent or sibling) was on the other side waiting for you? Or even if you're not a person of faith, would you muster up a little prayer?
So many people when facing obstacles or struggling with afflictions turn inwards. They rebuke everything and everyone around them, they give in to self-doubt, self-pity, and cynicism. They can only see inside the tunnel of their circumstance, they can only see their own little story. But we're all part of a much bigger story. We're all destined for greatness. As Americans we are so comfortable in our perfect little lives (even when our lives aren't perfect by our standards). Even when there's drama and problems, we've got our cars and our homes, our big screen TVs and our paychecks, our central heat and air conditioning and our electricity, furniture, food in the pantry, our designer clothes and fancy things, our loved ones, along with everything else we take for granted. We have our routines, we have our social circles and our territories, our own little environments and comfort zones. And that fogginess that most of those people reported feeling was in spite of all that.
Because we're made to reach outward, not draw inward. We're made to go beyond our comfort zones, our little worlds, and think of more than just ourselves. We're made to do the best we can and find something we love instead of just settling for what's comfortable. We're made to serve, make a difference, help others, and to fulfill our role in the bigger story, whatever our individual parts might be. People make the mistake of thinking they can't make a difference, they're not cut from that cloth, they're not that type of person, they're too ordinary. But you don't have to donate to charity or even volunteer at one to make a difference and make your life more meaningful (I recommend it, but those aren't the only ways). You can do small things every day, and you can also find your purpose and your calling and figure out how it changes the world around you for the better.
So when I started thinking about the church's groundbreaking ceremony and how special it is for them now that they'll be able to seat over 2,000 people (when the congregation started back in the 80s in the pastor's living room), I realize that it's the community outreach and the expansion that are so powerful. Have you ever heard the saying "you have to make room for the things you want in your life?" The church is literally making room for anyone and everyone who need something more in their lives. They've already exceeded capacity in three or four buildings and they just keep growing. If you build it, they will come (this seems to be a recurring theme lately). And for eight years now they've overcome obstacle after obstacle, and they've held firmly to their faith, and everything is finally falling into place and this multi-million dollar expansion is being brought to life. When you act on faith, you act as if the thing you want is already real, has already been achieved, is already in your grasp.
Whether you're religious or not, it's a beautiful thing to witness all these people giving testimony on video about how much their lives have changed just because this place and these people exist and have made room and welcomed them in. What if the congregation was full of cynics who decided it was ok to be comfortable and just close the doors? What if they didn't care that there were hundreds, maybe thousands more people in the community who could benefit from their expansion and their service? What if they gave in to their temptation to give up when the work felt like too much and the goal felt impossible? What if they didn't think that they could impact communities internationally, beyond their walls right here in Burlington County?
Maybe I'm not articulating well enough tonight. This all seemed to flow so smoothly in my head earlier. But my message is this: Leap and you will be caught; doubt and you will fall. Having faith, positivity, and the belief in something other than yourself is crucial to making it in this world and making a difference. Or you can just stay so wrapped up in your own little life, withdrawing into yourself and doubting everything around you, negative and cynical about the world and your plight and everyone who shares the space around you and breathes the same air. Your life will be so dramatically different, and much darker.
In life there is so much we can't control. And if you're familiar with "Bridge Posts" you'll know I wrote one about relinquishing control the other day. But as so many of my friends have also come to realize lately, we can control the way we think and the things we choose to let in, accept, and give power. So instead of perceiving yourself as a victim and building a wall around your heart (which won't protect you against all bad things but will close you off to the good), open your eyes, open your hearts, and open your minds. And realize that there's a bigger story and a bigger picture. You can choose how it ends and how it's seen from now on.
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