I’ve really fallen off pace compared to days past with this thing. I have entertained everything from the meds I’m taking to my busyness with work/school/social affairs to… whatever else.
I don’t have any profound reason; in fact, I have no reason at all really. I’ve had a few ideas, but just haven’t done the work to wrangle them that is usually required. Politics also hold a spot very much at the fore of my thinking these days, but I grow further convinced on a weekly basis that such discussions are usually ‘disputable mattters,’ as the apostle Paul would term them. (If you do find yourself interested, here you’ll find a pretty good snapshot of most of my political thoughts of late.)
The rhythms of the academic calendar make the passage of time so much easier to mark, and I’ve gotten quite a bit older in the past year it seems.
And I find myself increasingly at peace with that. (The umm, loosening of the skin just about belt level, not as much.)
As part of how I handle my tangled, troubled mind, there are a number of lessons I’ve learned both one time yet have to continue to reaccquaint myself with time after time after time again.
Most of them are too personal or too specific for me to share, but there is one very simple one that’s worth sharing. I know I’ve talked about it in posts prior (don’t feel like finding the links-sorry), but as I find its importance never waning so might you.
It is simply the power, the necessity, of not living, not even operating in the mindset that you can “do life” alone.
One time I heard about a phenomenon in computer programming, called a ‘feedback loop’ or something. The basic issue in such an occasion is that an intended action contradicts another in such a way that it gets caught up in this cycle (or ‘loop’) with the result that rather than either executing as planned neither ever happen at all.
You see, the way that God has wired our psyche, deep below sin and shame, urges us constantly toward communion with others, in whatever fashion. Just about as attractive, however, is the urge to tune out of such relations and… give life our best shot without the resources or encouragement of others. You know… alone.
What a deadly wreck of contrasting desires!
The simple solution that continually restores and heals my soul, over and over and over again, is simply to make plans with a friend to share a meal and talk.
About whatever.
About sports, the news, a movie, or (for bonus!) them and whatever might be up in their world.
A soul that feasts only upon its own whisperings is nothing more than a cannibal, and as such it wastes away more every day.
Merely getting together… merely doing the ‘friend’ thing… merely sharing a meal to trade a few insights about Life of late…
Playing catch up heals the soul (not to mention tightens the belt).
What everyone’s saying