Like so many other people who attend religious services on a fairly regular basis, I am not always fully spiritually engaged in every service.  Sometimes my mind wanders from the esoteric to the mundane, as it did this past Sunday when I was mulling over my grocery list instead of devoting my undivided attention to the homily being presented.  (My dearth of attentiveness to the homily is not due to any purported lack of relevance of the homily, but rather is ascribed to the fact that I am not yet in a state of divinity and am therefore all too susceptible to being distracted by worldly concerns.) 

However, my mind was unexpectedly jarred from its preoccupation with the price of paper towels when the priest's advice to "give up a negative" for Lent jolted me back to the present.  Many people who endeavor to surrender a coveted item or activity for the forty day duration of Lent find the dearth of the desired item or activity too severe a deprivation and lapse in their respective commitment to refrain (I for one cannot honestly envision myself taking a hiatus from pickles for forty days, for starters).  So, the concept of "giving up a negative" appealed to me greatly.  

I decided that I would attempt to transmute any feelings of annoyance (or worse) inspired in me by certain individuals.  "Challenges from Christ" was the term that my aunt (the nun) utilized to describe people who did not immediately inspire one's spiritual best.  Similarly, in the Buddhist religion, it is my understanding that there is an adage, "Bless your enemy, for he enables you to grow."  (On a lofty spiritual level, I suppose the adage retains merit, but the only "growth" that I am cognizant of emanating from my enemies is the sprouting of gray hair on my head!) Armed with this new spiritual visage, I was fully prepared to live my new-found commitment when "Megan" crossed my path as I was exiting church.  

"Megan" is one of those entities who apparently regards the confessional as a revolving door, liberally quotes scripture in a preachy tone and fairly well embodies the advice, "Do as I say, not as I do."  To the best of my knowledge and belief, Megan's obedience to secular laws is on par with her level of adherence to church edicts—lip service only. So, one may easily imagine my utter dismay when Megan informed me that she announced to a prayer group at my church that I would be attending said prayer group on a regular basis. I bristled, "But Megan, I don't drive, my night vision is God-awful..."  Megan pursed her lips, shook her head and chided in a strident tone, "Really, Muriel, we are within a stone's throw of our church!  Using the term 'God-awful' must surely constitute a sacrilege."  "Oh yeah?  Well, why is it that people the most in need of a visit from an exorcist who relishes a challenge attempt to upbraid people who at least exert sincere attempts to..."  

Recalling my religious commitment of not five minutes prior, I broke off in mid-sentence, murmured a contrite, "Of course, Megan," and nodded for Megan to continue. "Anyway, Muriel, I think you could really benefit from this prayer group. There is hope for sinners like you!" Megan called out in a feigned cheery tone as she darted away to commit her next misdeed, er, um, to continue on her way.  I then boarded the bus en route home to eat lunch.  "Muriel!"  I heard as I scrambled for a seat.  I looked up only to witness "Jocelyn" bearing down upon me.  Jocelyn is absolutely maddening, because when faced with a reality that she deems not in accordance with her rose-colored glasses view of life or established plans, she effectuates the best imitation of an ostrich that I have ever witnessed a human perform.  "Did you read the article on the New York Times on Wednesday concerning proposed stricter enforcement of wildlife protection laws—Obama Administration Targets Illegal Wildlife Trafficking?  I read on Twitter that a poacher, when faced with an enforcement official from the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, vociferously announced his immediate and permanent repudiation of his poaching activities and broke into a rousing rendition of 'Amazing Grace.'"

I sighed, prayed for patience, and said, "Jocelyn, the poacher very likely only expressed his repudiation because he desires for those empowered with the ability to move the wildlife to a place of safety to leave said wildlife vulnerable to the poacher's true ways.  Can I still count you in to assist with mailing those letters on behalf of endangered wildlife to Congress?"  Jocelyn tittered, "No, no, the poachers have learnt their lesson."  I commenced stating, through gritted teeth, "If you do not want to help the animals, please state that and stop hiding behind this ridiculous excuse because it is easier for you not to admit that the animals remain in peril!  My Bajan ancestors stated, 'the more you peep, the less you see' with good reason!  I can't fathom why someone who behaves like an ostrich so much of the time isn't more concerned with protecting the ostriches!"

Later, as I was munching on a delectable pickle as part of my lunch, while mentally castigating myself for my spiritual lapse, I consoled myself with the thought that since wings have not yet been affixed to my back yet, I can likely seek and received Divine forgiveness for not always adhering to the advanced spiritual goal that I set for myself.  And, I reasoned, the Library contains a literal plethora of books, DVDs and CDs in its Circulating collection that offer spiritual insight and guidance for all who desire more assistance to eschew stumbling on the path. (The items enumerated below represent a sampling of material available within the NYPL's Circulating Collection; any omission of relevant material is not intended in an offensive manner.)

Books

• Growing in Christ: sermons for the spring season
• Mother Angelica's Little Book of Life Lessons and Everyday Spirituality
• The Holy Bible
• The Talmud
• The Koran
• Buddhism
• Bhagavad Gita
• No God but God
• When Bad Things Happen to Good People
• Our Haggadah: Uniting Traditions for Interfaith Families
• In my Own Words: An Introduction to Teachings and Philosophy
• Wicca: What's the Real Deal?
• Making Good Habits, Breaking Bad Habits
• All Out of Faith: Southern Women on Spirituality
• Circling Faith: Southern Women on Spirituality
• Stitches
• It's Your Time
• Meditations on the Cross
• The Sermon on the Mount
• Crossing Over
• Mystical Traveler
• The Two Marys
• Drawing Down the Sun: Rekindle the Magick of the Solar Goddesses
• Patti's Pearls: Lessons in Living Genuinely, Joyfully and Generously
• Ash Wednesday
• Easter Bunny Murder
• I Shall Not Want
• Bad Samaritan

CDs

• Closer
• Prelude
• Love and Freedom
• The Power and the Glory
• The Gospel According to Patti Labelle

Audio Books

• Looking for Mary

e-Books

• The Lord is My Shepherd
• The Essential Book of Jewish Festival Cooking
• You Can Begin Again (No matter what, it's never too late)
• Tarnished and Torn

DVDs

• Irving Berlin's Easter Parade
• The Ten Commandments
• The Sound of Music
• A Taste of Passover
• When Do We Eat?