purpose in life

We begin our lives satisfying physical and material desires. But eventually most of us will begin an ancient journey searching for Meaning. The first is material, while the second is immaterial—or spiritual. Brian McLaren describes the material quest as “boiling down to earning and buying and selling…eating and drinking and having fun…respiration, digestion, elimination, ovulation, ejaculation, gestation, reproduction, antiquation, expiration.”¹ The search for Meaning cannot be so easily described.

continue reading "Searching for Meaning"

My sister lost her husband of thirty-one years last week. It all happened rather quickly and Tuesday was the quickest that we could get out to see her to share some grief, and to begin to find some meaning for it all—especially for her as she begins to forge a new identity as half of what was, toward all of what needs becoming. But to some extent, every one who had any ties of consciousness with Fred needs to readjust to the loss, because true friends and loved ones are actually a part of us in this respect—we take each other into our selves. She has received many comments, cards, phone calls, and emails as evidence to the often surprising extent to which one person can affect many others through their lives, and consequently, also in their death.

continue reading "Life, Death, Grief, and Finding Meaning in the Commons"

By faith the quest is taken;

in motion life comes alive;

from living the meaning is found;

by meaning faith does survive;

to render another go-round.