As I studied more and more I came to the realization that religious beliefs played a major role in in the formation of civilizations and how they were governed. I then started looking into the history of world religions to understand their influence. During my studies I came across Buddhism. I then moved on to the others as I came to them in their proper time.
I was raised by a Free Will Baptist preacher that hurled hell fire and brimstone at me sitting in the second row of the church for years. I honestly and personally found no peace or direction in his teachings, still don't to this day. During my studies something kept drawing me back to the the teaching of the Buddha. As I started to dig deeper into the Buddhas teaching I found what I had been missing for awhile. I had reached a dark place in this life. My son said to me one day "Dad you hate everyone now and you have always loved all kinds of different people and different cultures and by the way they called you smiley and you never smile any more". That statement sent me back to the Buddha.
As of two months ago I committed and professed to be a Buddhist. I have a peace and a direction I have never possessed before. I have set my wheel in motion and I am a better man today than I have ever been. It makes me wonder what my life could have been like had I found my path as a young man. I now start my morning with a beautiful version of Om Mani Pad me Hum instead of the gangster rap and porn I was filling my mind with in the past. What a difference it makes in my mood and direction for the day.
As for now I am concentrating on the Dhammapada for my studies and love it. I keep finding new meaning to the text the more I read it or listen to it while driving.
That is me, my friends.Thank you for the information and insights I have gained from this site.
