Last night, at Arborlawn United Methodist Church in Fort Worth, the last of 14 cities on the book tour for Stitches: A Handbook on Meaning, Hope, and Repair, a woman in her late twenties raised her hand and asked, What is the big picture? I do a lot of things that I love and value, but dont have a clue what it all means. The crowd was actually hushed, as if I might have the secret launch codes, and could answer this for all time. I said, Welcome to the monkey house, stealing one of Vonneguts titles. Everyone of every age roared with friendly laughter, because were all in the same boat. We ALL think we missed school the day that the visiting specialists stopped by our 2nd grade classroom to distribute the pamphlets on what is true, who we are, how we are to live with the great mystery of life, how to come through dark times, how to awaken. Were all sort of winging it, trying to learn self-love and respect, trying to be here, now, sometimes, and live lives of meaning and joy. You do a LOT of things you love and value? Thats the big picture. Youve learned about radical self-care, and putting your own oxygen mask on first, yet also have discovered that we can only be filled up by service, by giving? Are you laughing enough? Are you saying No enough? Have you taken to heart that NO is a complete sentence? That no one over 40 must EVER again help anyone else move to a new house? That no one over 50 must EVER chair a yard--or-parking lot-or garage sale--for a church, or a high school sports team? Ram Dass said he thought that when it was all said and done, were all just walking each other home. Thats the meaning, I think. Thats the big picture. Youre not squandering your time racing around all day doing meaningless bullshit, multi-tasking, and always feeling like youre behind on your homework? If not, thats what it all means. Rest is a spiritual act. My pastor once told us that you can trap bees in jars without lids, because they look straight ahead, muddling around, panicking on the floor of the jar, bumping into the glass sides, because they dont look up. If they did, they could fly to freedom. Youre learning NOT to chase the mechanical rabbits at the Greyhound Race Track, of fame, drama, achievement, ownership? Youre pursuing a creative call of some sort, now? Youre not pretending that you are going to get back to writing, singing, dance, as soon as this or that happens--ie as soon as you graduate or retire, or your youngest leaves home? Youre doing it NOW, badly, herky-jerkily, as a debt of honor? That is the bigger meaning of it all: creation. Youre living as if you may have a year or so to live, and want to make the most of it, savor and be filled, by spending time with those you love most, much of it outdoors in the beauty of our Mother? Gerard Manley Hopkins wrote, The world is charged with the grandeur of God. It will flame out, like shining from shook foil. So are you out there, shaking your head with amazement, smiling about the earths wild sweet beauty? That is the bigger picture. That is the meaning: wonder, presence, immediacy, being HERE. Like my teenage friend Mason says in Stitches, I had brain cancer. I was in a coma. Then I was HERE again. Are you here? Thats the big picture.
Posted on: Fri, 15 Nov 2013 16:44:44 +0000
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