| ANNE WILLIAMSON |
It had been an exhausting week: busy work schedule; sick toddler; midnight power outage and accompanying loud, electricity workers; packing. I thought I'd feel relief when finally on the plane to Seattle; instead, I was homesick. Strangely, I longed for the familiarity of my day-to-day life, however chaotic.
Fast forward 2000 miles and 24 hours. I've slept and woken up to Mt. Rainier, showered, and am now eating delicious food with my husband, sister and her fiancé. I feel almost giddy. The energy of a new city and a vacation without a certain (beloved) child has sunk in. Life looks different and me in it.
Such experiences remind me, remind us, new perspectives are vital to seeing clearly. Stuck looking at life from one vantage for too long, and we forget. We forget parts of ourselves, that we once saw the world differently, and therefore, might again. We need these experiences to remind us that the kaleidoscope turns and is beautiful here too.
The same is true of faith. If God or the Divine is ultimately a mystery to us - and I would argue this is necessarily the case - then trying to traverse this Mystery from one perspective is too limiting (not to mention hard). We need others to lend us their perspectives, to reach up and turn our kaleidoscope.
This is exactly what we try and do for each other every week at WAYfinding. It's not perfect. Community never is. But, maybe, it's necessary. Maybe to see a true image of God, we have to engage in God talk with people of diverse perspectives. In the absence of perpetual travel, we have to find a way to new perspectives ourselves.
What do you think? LISTEN, LEARN, LOVE...
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Interested in checking out a WAYfinding group this fall? A Tuesday lunch group and two Wednesday evening groups - one a mom's group - start next week. Simply email me, if interested. No commitment necessary; you're welcome to just come and see what you think. (Find our fall schedule here.)
Remember this? What do YOU see? I see that too (wink, wink)... and I see a deep spiritual lesson. Sit with this image for a minute and let its truth wash over you. What do you hear? Keep listening...
Watch this TEDTalk titled Dare To Disagree by Margaret Heffernan:
What struck you? Do you agree with Margaret? Do you think her ideas apply to faith too? Keep wondering. Keep listening...
Set a loving intention out of what is stirring in you. My suggestion: In the above video, Margaret says, "Thinking partners who aren't echo chambers - I wonder how many of us have or dare to have such collaborators." Spend some time thinking about and listening for whether you dare. Are you open to such thinking partners? In life? In faith? Do you have any? If not, think about ways you can pursue the new perspectives of others.