windmills, crusades and causes
windmills - idealism, romanticism, poetry, music, beauty...crusades - peace, justice, fairness, equality, self direction, self expression...causes - truth to self, truth to others, recognition of and interaction with the 'other', (those who are strangers to us or our way of life)...

windmill: "a short spiritual trek"

A sudden happening, and I have become open to the Universe.

A luminescence encompasses the spectrum of my imagination.
Vast and unbidden, it has engulfed my being.
It brings me home to the roots of my identity.
It whispers intimate truths unknown previous to its arrival.
Suddenly, bits of wisdom are mine where there was no inkling.
I am of the Universe. I accept this.

A fictitious scenario, wishful thinking, or somehow true?
I do not know, but I do know this.
I am feeling it, living it. I am changed.
A veil has lifted. Life, unbound...

crusade: see rewritten crusade posting below, from 02/11/2006

cause: Question everything. Do not fear the unknown.

There are faiths, beliefs, certainties, truths, information, proposals, theories, knowledge, accepted facts, empirical evidence, and more... Hold onto your doubt. Everything is subject to revision or simple disproof.

Now there are even 'memes', along with all the other devices used to manipulate us. We are inundated with messages, ads, presentations, propaganda of all shapes and sizes, plus proselytizing. All of these serve the source, not you.

There are ultimate truths, I suppose, but there are few ultimate authorities which do not serve the source. If we maintain our skepticism we may yet survive, even prosper.

Of course, faiths are comforting, and harmless as long as recognized as faiths. A belief in a higher power can be demonstrated to be an evolutionary artifact. It appears to be a genetic necessity among many people. If a modest kernel of doubt is maintained it is a benefit to the individual and various societies. I have acquired a faith in a benevolent Universe. It keeps me warm.

In the meantime, keep your mind open and theorize. Your guess is as good as anyone's, better than one from a person with an agenda.