Bicycle Tour, Day 14: On religion and food at grandparents'

in #food6 years ago (edited)

Good news: I in fact made it to my grandparents - 100 kilometers, mostly in rain. But that didn't matter since I got to a warm shower and a soft bed for the night. So, today was another rest day aka. eating day. As I was speculating, my grandparents took me to the same gas station buffet as always when I have visited them. And as you know, I eat a lot, and even more when it's all you can eat.

DSC_08662022x1517.JPG
That was only one of the three (and a half - salad) plates I ate.

Even though I might eat huge proportions at once, I don't eat all throughout the day, mostly in noon-evening period. And when I eat a huge buffet, I usually don't take a bite until the following day - except today because free food at grandparents'.

I actually have a problem: I have so much food that I'm barely going to fit it in my bags. It is definitely one of the better problems to have - having to eat through your bags to make them lighter, haha.

At the store, my grandparents were like "do you need some provision for the trip?" "Well, I could use a few things..." No, I actually didn't empty the whole store, knowing I have only limited space, but I did take some things that I could use: nuts, dried dates, white chocolate coated banana chips, gluten-free bread - things that are bit more expensive usually. Peanut butter I can always refill myself because that thing is dirt cheap: 2€ (the cheapest one I've found so far) for a jar that has 2000 calories! That is nuts, (heh). Must be the best price-to-calorie ratio I've come across. And that was one with 100% peanuts, no extra shit like sugar (which actually has less calories per 100 grams). Good stuff. If I got nothing else for the day, I could always just chug down a jar of peanut butter and that alone would take me quite far. Though I think I should involve little something else too in my diet. Ah, well that'll be fixed when I take a buffet every now and then and eat a shit ton of food there.

Although, the free food comes with a price: the interrogation of grandparents.

"What after your adventure?"

"I don't know, haven't thought that far, though it's still on my mind constantly, so it's not like I'm trying to avoid it. And this bicycling thing I'm doing is part of the process."

Yeah, poor grandparents, just trying to help me giving some options as if I'd know what I'd like to eat for the rest of my life: "Well, since you are so active you could be physical education instructor."

Yeah, perhaps, until I'd get bored with it after two weeks...

Oh yeah, then there's the religious part: "Have you been involved with the congregation?"

"Nope."

Luckily that conversation ended there.

These moments are extremely awkward because my grandparents (especially grandfather) thinks I hold a Christian worldview, just because I've been involved with that world. I even went baptized for my own will when I was fifteen and went to this confirmation school. Not the Lutheran one, but one for Pentecostals - Lutherans are baptized as babies usually.

So, my grandparents were watching when I got baptized in the conclusion festival, and of course now they think I'm "following the righteous path". After all, I did indeed go baptized without anyone even pressuring me. However, I've thought that a lot, "why did I do it?" and it's not like it was about "finding God".

I'm still not exactly sure why I did that, but my "faith" was never a strong one; at best I could feel "good vibes" - suggestion - but that was about it. But I tried pretty hard to get into it since all those people seemed to be so inspired and all to praise God. So, I guess getting baptized was my attempt to find this so called "God" that everyone kept raising their hands for.

But nothing happened.

Afterwards, I was invited to a meal (hey, at least something good!) at Chico's by the local congregation. I went few times to the 'young people gatherings', maybe for a year - there were some cool people there I must say - but in the end, there came a point I never went back again.

All this was 4-5 years ago, but that is proportionally quite a big chunk of my life (I'm 20), so a lot has happened during that time; I have pretty much abondonded all religions (those that are traditionally thought as such, because ideologies are largely the same thing even if not admitted as being so, but that's a completely another topic).

But of course they're living in the past, especially when a direct and honest discussion about religious views isn't typically practiced in our family, just some updating about Israel and Islam and stuff as if I'd agree or care how Isreali are the "chosen nation". I'm imagining they'd die off of a heart attack if I were to bluntly say "I don't believe in God". Luckily(?) they aren't much to directly ask about my "faith".

Yeah, that kinda complicated relationship I have with the grandparents from my mother's side. They're actually fine as long as they keep away from the awkward subjects.

***

This whole religion thing I've been actually wanting to talk about, but it never came unto me until now when I finally felt just splurging out my thoughts about it.

Anyhow, I'm gonna go eat more bread, before going to bed, so I can actually fit it all into my bags tomorrow,

Later.

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Hey @celestal, awesome article! I'm not religious either, but I'm fascinated by religious practices. I found Pentecostals to be super upbeat, with singing and clapping and hallelujah. I don't know how it was in Finland, but the Pentecostal church I visited in Japan did laying on of hands, making prophecies, and speaking in tongues. I know that in Appalachia certain Pentecostals also practice handling of serpents amidst amazing blues-rock tunes. But all this seems to be a galaxy away from a Finnish context.

Hey @celestal, awesome article!

Was more like laid out row of thoughts, but thank you :)

I don't know how it was in Finland, but the Pentecostal church I visited in Japan did laying on of hands, making prophecies, and speaking in tongues.

Yes, it is exactly the same here. Prophecies perhaps not so much - they tend to be careful with them - but everything else, clappin, raising hands, speaking in tongues etc., is the same here too.

But all this seems to be a galaxy away from a Finnish context.

To my understanding, Pentecostals are quite similar across the globe.

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