In case you missed it on the home page, my name is Nicholas (but you can call me Nick, Nicky or NJ if you want) and I am a Friend. That means that I am a member of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly called Quakers. As you work your way through my blog posts, you’ll get a pretty good feel for what Quakers believe.
If I had to sum it up in just a few sentences, I’d tell you that as Quakers, we have vast differences in what we think and what we believe, but we honor and celebrate those differences. At the end of the day, we worry less about exactly what someone believes, and more about how you live out those beliefs in the world. If you’re adding love, joy and peace to the universe – well, then you’re okay with us (with me.) As Quakers, we tend to live by a shared set of values (often called testimonies) – simplicity, peace, equality, integrity, community, and sustainability, amongst others.
Me personally, I became a Quaker in one of the darkest periods of my life. I wasn’t happy with myself, my relationships, or the way I was living in the world – and that’s when I was introduced to Quakerism. People often think that it was “easy” or “convenient” for me to then start calling myself a Quaker. But quite to the contrary, it was actually one of the most difficult decisions I had ever made, because introspection and reflection that comes with being a Friend is difficult and intense work. You weight every decision and action you make to determine if it aligns with the values and beliefs that you claim to hold dear. It’s difficult work, but it’s rewarding work.
Now, several years later, I am proud of who I am. I’ve made plenty of mistakes – some larger than others – but a person isn’t defined by their mistakes. They are a part of my story, and I’ve come a long way since then.
If you ever need anything, whether it’s help finding a specific resource, or just someone to talk to, you’ll always have a Friend in me. You can reach out to me directly using the contact form.