Good morning...good evening, gidday....
I grew up in a very religious household, Sunday school and church every week and church related activities in between, I was baptised at 14 when attending the Christian musical Godspell.....I even felt I could become a minister or deacon, and then at 17 my world came crashing down one of my parents had, had an affair and our family unit was destroyed, overnight all the religious ways I had known were gone replaced by recriminations, anger and mistrust, followed by alcohol and drug abuse and the splitting up of the family unit.
My belief in faith was in tatters, I ran off the rails, abusing drugs and alcohol and fell into a criminal lifestyle. It wasn’t until my early 20s and the death of my first wife from an overdose that I pulled myself back from the abyss......it was a belief in the knowledge that maybe I could find an internal spirituality, I knew I had something in there I could feel it pulsating....and with guidance from a special friend it was in fact finding it that saved me.
Ever since then I have shunned the notion of Christianity......even when I was married for the second time it was not in a church and was performed by a celebrant, but through it all I have lived by a set of moral guidelines that I guess were instilled into me in those early years.
Just recently, here in Mingle, thanks to Jagbird and his North American Spirituality thread I came across this:
THE INDIAN TEN COMMANDMENTS
Treat the Earth and all that dwell therein with respect
Remain close to the Great Spirit
Show great respect for your fellow beings
Work together for the benefit of all Mankind
Give assistance and kindness wherever needed
Do what you know to be right
Look after the well-being of Mind and Body
Dedicate a share of your efforts to the greater Good
Be truthful and honest at all times
Take full responsibility for your actions
Now this had me sitting up and taking notice, these commandments are what I was already living my life by, after all these years here was affirmation that what I believed in was right.
Honest and Brave....I hope so.
Mikey
I am very well....how are you though Lars? 
