Omaha World Herald, From the Pulpit Rev(Dr) Cynthia Ramirez Lindenmeyer
On the 11th of October, a Wednesday, I found myself among the countless Americans gathered at nearby gas stations, eagerly filling out lottery tickets. The enticing billboards lining the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas had proven too hard to resist: One billion, seven hundred and sixty-five million dollars. For a mere two dollars, my mind raced at the chance to win nearly two billion dollars and the endless opportunity to benefit our community, support local nonprofit organizations, and return the generosity given to me. Yet, it was impossible to ignore the stark reality that the odds of winning the lotto are almost one in three hundred million.
When I woke up on Thursday, I couldn’t help but reflect on how I had defied those staggering odds. I won the lottery!
And so did you.
Not monetarily, but metaphysically. The chance of you existing at this moment in time stands at one in 400 trillion. The Buddha offers a beautiful perspective: Imagine water completely covers the Earth. Visualize a blind turtle residing in the depths of the ocean, surfacing for air once every 100 years. In this vast water world, a circular lifeguard hoop drifts along, propelled by the waves. The likelihood that the turtle emerges through the hole in the ring to breathe is analogous to our birth.
It’s tempting to spend one’s life marveling at the myriad things one could do and attain if only there were sufficient funds to manifest those dreams. But, in truth, what prevents me, or anyone, from contributing to the community, supporting nonprofits, and reciprocating the kindness we’ve received?
Often, I find my thoughts confined by an invisible societal electric fence, limiting the scope of the incredible gift called human birth. The cultural weapons of mass distractions that surround me can easily overshadow the profound realization that my inner self strives to convey that each of us on this planet is a truly miraculous creation.
You are supposed to be here at this moment in time. Though the odds were against your presence on Earth, here you are. I am here for a reason. You are here for a reason. It’s time to overcome our limited thinking and live knowing we hit the jackpot!
— Rev. Cynthia Ramirez Lindenmeyer, sacred activism pastor, Omaha
On the 11th of October, a Wednesday, I found myself among the countless Americans gathered at nearby gas stations, eagerly filling out lottery tickets. The enticing billboards lining the Lincoln and Omaha metro areas had proven too hard to resist: One billion, seven hundred and sixty-five million dollars. For a mere two dollars, my mind raced at the chance to win nearly two billion dollars and the endless opportunity to benefit our community, support local nonprofit organizations, and return the generosity given to me. Yet, it was impossible to ignore the stark reality that the odds of winning the lotto are almost one in three hundred million.
When I woke up on Thursday, I couldn’t help but reflect on how I had defied those staggering odds. I won the lottery!
And so did you.
Not monetarily, but metaphysically. The chance of you existing at this moment in time stands at one in 400 trillion. The Buddha offers a beautiful perspective: Imagine water completely covers the Earth. Visualize a blind turtle residing in the depths of the ocean, surfacing for air once every 100 years. In this vast water world, a circular lifeguard hoop drifts along, propelled by the waves. The likelihood that the turtle emerges through the hole in the ring to breathe is analogous to our birth.
It’s tempting to spend one’s life marveling at the myriad things one could do and attain if only there were sufficient funds to manifest those dreams. But, in truth, what prevents me, or anyone, from contributing to the community, supporting nonprofits, and reciprocating the kindness we’ve received?
Often, I find my thoughts confined by an invisible societal electric fence, limiting the scope of the incredible gift called human birth. The cultural weapons of mass distractions that surround me can easily overshadow the profound realization that my inner self strives to convey that each of us on this planet is a truly miraculous creation.
You are supposed to be here at this moment in time. Though the odds were against your presence on Earth, here you are. I am here for a reason. You are here for a reason. It’s time to overcome our limited thinking and live knowing we hit the jackpot!
— Rev. Cynthia Ramirez Lindenmeyer, sacred activism pastor, Omaha