Emily Brammer's Page

Relationship Status

Single

Values: What is most important to you in life? What is your purpose? Who are you, really? What do you value?

It is most important that I learn to love others more and more, as my purpose is to live in communion with God and others through this bond of love, being a creature and daughter of God among many.

Beliefs: What do you believe in? Do you believe in God(s)? Karma? Saints? Why or why not?

The Catholic Creed (credo meaning "I believe") gives a good summary of the fundamentals. I am orthodox in my beliefs, and while falling short in what I do and fail to do, I nonetheless uphold the teachings of the Church as communicated by God through Scripture and Tradition as my light and guide. I dare to believe in all this, because it is only through believing that we have the opportunity to imitate Christ in obedience. This is what the saints accomplished in their lives....One might think of orthodoxy and obedience as quite dull, but I see it as the source of all the dynamism of our existence. G.K. Chesterton wrote in his book Orthodoxy, "People have fallen into a foolish habit of speaking of orthodoxy as something heavy, humdrum and safe. There never was anything so perilous or so exciting as orthodoxy." The martyrs are testimony to this most of all..

That is granting the fact that I find the teachings of Christ and subsequently the Church the most reasonable proposition, given my experience of reality.

Do you consider yourself spiritual? Do you identify yourself with a religion? Why or why not?

Yes, I consider myself a spiritual being that will be reunited with my body in the end. I identify with all human beings as fellow creatures, equally precious in God's eyes; and I identify with followers of Christ as brothers and sisters, who have been blessed with a great gift - one we can share with all through love.

Do you believe in after-life, heaven, reincarnation, a parallel universe, fate or destiny?

I believe in eternal life.

Why are we here on this earth? What is the meaning of life? What are your lifelong aspirations?

I consider my life a complete mystery. It may always remain incomprehensible to me, even in the life hereafter in the presence of God (hopefully!), why God in all his glory and self-sufficiency would have been so generous to have risked the losses (rejections) associated with creating a human race (free, not slaves) to share in his glory. The true meaning of life lies so far beyond understanding, because we are simply not capable of that kind of love; but I would go so far as to say it is about giving without expectation of receiving back. If we all acted this way in faith, we would all receive in overflowing measure anyway. We are never outdone in generosity. It is written in the fabric of the universe: all is grace.

Background / Spiritual Path

I have learned most of my lessons the hard way, but my mother, family, and God have never given up on me. Not that I was every too crazy, but definitely rebellious and troubled. I am also a very strong person, and perhaps the path was necessary to break my pride. My hope now is that God does not cease softening my heart to be more charitable and kind each day. I have been inspired by a great number of devote and devoted people in my life who led by example and surely prayed for me.

Inspiration (People, Places, Things)

Things of beauty inspire me most - and there is so much beauty in people, nature, music, art and relationships.