I believe in potential.

A long while back I posted an entry about my appreciation of diversity in creation.  You can read it here.  I was watching a rerun of Contact, the movie based on the novel of the same name.  I read that novel a long time ago.  And I have very fond memories from my childhood of Carl Sagan, the author.  I always wonder if he would have liked the movie.  It seems to have a very pro-religion message, and I definitely did not remember getting that vibe from the book.  Perhaps I should go back and read it again...

Despite my parents interest in religion, they never discouraged my interest in science.  In fact, they encouraged it.  And by the time I was twelve, I could have been called an agnostic and not argued the matter.  In fact, I have remained an agnostic my whole life.

My atheist friends always treat me like I'm slightly retarded.  I agree with everything they say, right up to the point where they say, "God does not exist."

My religious friends always treat me like I'm suddenly going to sprout horns and vanish in a cloud of brimstone.  But till then they are going to keep hoping I "see the light."  Whichever "light" they subscribe too.  It always makes them very hopeful when I quote scripture, or demonstrate an understanding or knowledge of their beliefs.  But then, I suddenly dig in my heels when they want me to agree to all their beliefs, or say, there is a god.

You see, I have a problem.  I believe in something most people simply don't seem to grasp.  I believe in potential.  I believe that a person can be more than they expect.  I believe that the universe has more to teach us than we have as yet begun to dream about in our philosophies.  I believe that if we can keep from killing ourselves off before the universe does it for us, we might yet rise above our baser natures and become something far greater than we can yet imagine.

Potential, possibilities, these things are not sureties.  People want guarantees.  If I do X I get Y.  I exist because of this, or that.  My purpose is <insert here>.  This is possible, that is impossible.

I ask, why do I need to have a purpose?  Why I can't I simply exist to be whatever it is I choose to be?  Why is the idea of limitless possibilities so terrifying?  When that same sea of potential can be exhilarating.