Religion

From the time he was small Colby was interested in world religion and over the years he studied many different forms of worship. The bulk of his personal library was filled with books on Christianity, Hinduism, Buddism, the Jewish religion and others. I remember when he was about fourteen he was so excited to discover that all of the religions he studied had one thing in common: a rule that you should "do undo others as you would like others to do unto you."

Recent studies have shown that those with schizophrenia are often very interested in religion and a 2002 study found that 80 percent of people who are severely mentally ill in North America use religion as a way to better cope with their illness.

I am not sure whether Colby's interest in religion had anything to do with his mental illnesses. I do know that Colby found this prayer several years ago, and it often brought him peace. It is an old translation of "Our Father" from Aramaic to English, rather than from Aramaic to Greek to Latin and then English.

Our Father

O cosmic Birther of all radiance and vibration!
Soften the ground of our being and carve out a space
within us where your Presence can abide.

Fill us with your creativity so that we may be
empowered to bear the fruit of your mission.

Let each of our actions bear fruit in accordance with our desire.
Endow us with the wisdom to produce and share
what each being needs to grow and flourish.

Untie the tangled threads of destiny that bind us,
as we release others from the entanglement of past mistakes.

Do not let us be seduced by that which would divert us
from our true purpose, but illuminate
the opportunities of the present moment.

For you are the ground and the fruitful vision,
the birth, power and fulfillment,
as all is gathered and made whole once again.