“I refuse to be anti-gay.
I refuse to be anti-feminist. I refuse to be anti-artificial birth control.
I refuse to be anti-Democrat.
I refuse to be anti-secular humanism.
I refuse to be anti-science.”
~ Anne Rice

I believe there is a Higher Power.
I believe this Higher Power is both feminine and masculine.
I believe in evolution.
I believe in female apostles during Jesus’ day and the possibility of goddesses.

I believe in feminism and I believe men can be feminists also.
I believe in simplicity, in homesteading, in loving your neighbor.
I believe in compassion as a religion.
I believe prayer works.

I believe there are many paths to God.  Many prophets have traveled this earth to meet with people where they are at.
I believe denominations divide us.
I believe the Church does not give God enough credit.

I believe in the power of Nature and our cyclical connection with it.
I believe in hugging trees.
I believe in treating animals with care and respect—whether you’re eating them or not.
I believe in looking people in the eyes, giving them the respect they deserve and listening to their stories.

I believe there is good in every person.
I believe in books.

I believe in space ships, life on other planets, and that the human race will someday live somewhere else besides Earth.
I believe in ghosts.
I believe in time travel, if only because the exact idea of it is so phenomenal to me, I don’t want to believe it can’t happen.

I believe that global warming exists, that equality has not been reached, and that everyone has a little bit of unintentional hatred toward others inside of themselves, but when we acknowledge it, only then can we begin to erase it.
I believe that the government is inherently corrupt.
I believe in giving aid to other countries—but not in a religious sense.

I believe in man+man, woman+man, and woman+woman.
I believe divorce is the only thing that is a threat to traditional marriage.
I believe in living together before marriage if it’s right for you.
I believe marriage isn’t the only way.
I believe in a healthy sexual relationship in or outside of marriage.
I believe that being pro-choice does not make you anti-life.
I believe that the American Dream is self-serving and ignorant.

I believe in adoption.
I believe one’s family extends beyond blood relations and instead is of one’s own choosing.

I believe in being an introvert.
I believe in standing up for myself, whether it offends someone else or not.
I believe in standing up for my loved ones, whether it offends someone else or not.
I believe in living my life according to me.

I believe in meditation.
I believe in yoga.
I believe in spending an afternoon sitting by a river, listening to the water flow and watching the birds.

I believe in growing my own food.
I believe in traveling the world and broadening my worldview as much as possible.
I believe in being bilingual.
I believe in respect for and understanding in other cultures.
I believe in peace.

I believe tattoos and piercings can enhance and make one more uniquely beautiful.
I believe everyone should have to work behind a counter for at least six months before graduating from high school.
I believe the most oddly-dressed people have the most fabulous life stories.
I believe riding the public transit system by yourself in a big city prepares you for anything and makes you fearless.

I believe owning and riding a bicycle can redefine the idea of freedom.
I believe in taking each person I meet at face value.

I believe guilt is a time-wasting tool of the devil.
I believe in deflecting negativity, but I only accomplish this every other day.
I believe that living vicariously through someone else is exhilarating but also time-wasting.
I believe that we all spend too much time attempting to be perfect.

However,

I believe and that’s what keeps me going.

Clara Sayre is a wanderer, feminist, childfree auntie, nature-hugger, and a lover of the printed word. She’s moving into an RV with her husband this year as they take on the open road doing publicity and media relations for the Kelly Miller Circus. She can be read on quieter notions and Take the Lead – elephant journal.

 

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Assistant Ed: Josie Huang/Ed: Kate Bartolotta

{Photo by: Denise Carbonell}