Our participatory universe

To our good friends–

It is true that we live in a participatory universe: birds and animals and we and plants and the inanimates all together, affecting one another, changing the world as we go. Changing G-d as we go. The notion that there is a cheap G-d who will solve all our problems without our participation is just that: cheap. It is not real to talk about G-d at work as if we were doing nothing, expected to do nothing. It is a danger. It is an untruth. It can hurt us, stunt us, keep us from participating with, meeting with, G-d. Participation is another word for meeting.

Yet we are afraid to meet. It is our right to meet, our highest and best act to meet. We need to be encouraging each other with: To meet!

For years I have been trying to define myself, to capture and hold me in one word or short phrase. Now I see that I am incredibly complex, not just difficult to pin down, but impossible of being pinned. So acceptance is more important, expectation of surprise, looking at continual unfolding. Be in verb, not be a noun. Action not words, act, dance, move. Be in leaping between the quanta. There is no be only do. G-d perhaps is the only be, and the only do.

Lord, if I cannot put myself in a word, how much less you? We can only meet, and in the hug, I can only touch your face, but I can go in infinitely deep. This is love in a sinking in and falling and being embraced, bouncing sort of way. No struggle, relax, let go, and still strive to be adult, to participate, to meet. We need to work against our desire to capture in a word, to make slogans. Fresh dancing, new steps, every step.

:- Doug.

Published in: Conversations | on October 28th, 2005 | No Comments »

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