Spiritualized.

As a non-believer, my Sunday mornings are never (really, I couldn’t even conjure up a rarely) spent in the house of any lord. Instead, I while away my hours with the holy trinity of pajamas, bacon, and coffee. I might turn on the radio and listen to jazz, or, every so often, tune in to Meet the Press.

But this morning was different, because I really wanted to see a piece on the You Are Beautiful project that would be airing during Oprah’s Super Soul Sunday. OK, to be honest, I can’t quite believe I just typed that. I don’t have anything against Oprah, but, as I said, I am a non-believer, and that extends to the media-created gods as well.

So here I am watching this Oprah show, which is actually being simulcast on Facebook. The featured guest, Panache Desai, is not my draw, but since I don’t know when my main attraction will make an appearance, my plan is to just wait through it.

I know the name Panache Desai because I have a friend who follows him. But, with much respect to her, I have viewed him, and other gurus of his ilk, with a dubious eye. There is so much blathering, self-help rhetoric being retched on us by so many that I can’t help but feel a bit suspicious. 

So, at first, I multi-task, keeping my ears alert for a change in vocal or musical modulations. But then I start to get pulled in. The words, the ideas, the revelations all start to peck at my callous, skeptic’s exterior. And they made a big enough hole that a little light shined in on my soul.

Turns out that the core of his message is about what I try to preach to myself: that if I make love my religion, I’ll live a blessed life. (I'm a work in progress, friends.)

Oh, and the You Are Beautiful spot was no more than two minutes. But really the perfect complement and capstone to a positive and uplifting segment. Huh, kind of like I went to church this morning...

Nah.