FootprintsintheWind.com

Heaven might just be a conversation with God.

:- Doug.

I’m on a spiritual, conversational adventure: What can we make better? Want to join me? I’ll give you the keys: you can drive.

:- Doug.

Conversation done well reminds ordinary people we are in charge.

:- Doug.

A juxtaposition of commercials on TV last night: a pharmaceutical company and a law firm: selling you a new drug and someone to sue the seller when it injures or kills you! Poetic justice.

:- Doug.

What you preach reveals little about God, much about you.

:- Doug.

I believe God; I just don’t believe that about God.

I don’t believe God is an old man with a beard sitting on a throne directing traffic.

I don’t believe God is our sugar daddy, granting our wishes.

I do believe that I have met You face to face, that You have called my name.

I do believe that you are with us, grieve with us, suffer with us.

I do believe you suffer.

I do believe that you are distributed and pop up everywhere and every when.

I do believe that you meet us. More than we realize: in all our days, all our hours, all moments: momentarily.

I do believe that you ask that we take responsibility for our world.

I don’t believe that God fixes all broken things to our order, but I do believe that you make things work all towards good in the whole.

I do believe that you are more in the whole than concentrated in one place.

I do believe that there is meaning in our existence, and that we have a say in that meaning, and that meaning is a conversation between you and us.

I do believe that you are love and conversation.

I do believe that you respond, and that you are moving and acting much more than static object.

I do believe there is much of you that is unknown to me and to us, and yet, and yet, there is an essence a touching of us that is all we have to know. We cannot know ourselves; how then to know another; and why would we ever want to, since here is our adventure: discovering you and us and together; making you and us and together?

Friend, thee we explore, we we make.

:- Doug.

Clouds scurry past blue
Together, five birds scoot by
Today my thoughts too

:- Doug.

What we do
& how we live
—For the world
For humanity—
It’s important

:- Doug.

What we do
& how we live
—For the world
For humanity—
It’s important

:- Doug.

What are the essences of conversation done well? Subject matter that engages the future, that moves us toward humanity. How does that differ from chit chat? Chit chat says “I want to stay engaged with you. I like you. Our relationship matters.” Conversations that count go further and reach out beyond the interpersonal to the extra-personal. They are community wide in intended effects.

They intend therefore to engage more than one other person. They are we-centered, where We is 3 or more.

They engage each person’s imagination.

They are about now and future.

:- Doug.

Is conversation the way of the world? Yes. And No. It is the way the world moves when it moves and is the way the world does not move when it does not budge. Sounds like momentum: A person engaged engages those around; a person unengaged tends to grow moldy.

:- Doug.

Let us ponder our possible humanity. How human can we be? How humane?

:- Doug.

Conversation done well is about getting people engaged in their world—our world. We think that only prime ministers and presidents can have conversations that count. But if it is important to us, we can have a voice. So conversation is all around; we are immersed in it, yet we need to talk like we never have before—and that means in a way that matters, that counts. Conversation counts when we engage our world, and make it humane. In theological terms, make the world fit for gods. We have never taken seriously the Genesis invitation to be stewards of our earth. We have let things happen; we have left the general direction to presidents and prime ministers, to functionaries and managers. We have never—each and every one of us—take this responsibility. True, some have less ability—the ill, the infirm—but even they help if unconsciously by reminding the rest of us of our possible humanity.

:- Doug.

If it weren’t for the mirror, my image would go on for as long as there was light.

:- Doug.

Is it possible that conversation is and always has been how we evolve? Sometimes well done, sometimes more conscious or less?

:- Doug.

What is the fun that occupies your days?

:- Doug.

What is this spade
with which I cut the earth
around my heart
but gently gently
freeing me to expand
my intimacy
to galaxies of hearts
not before known?

:- Doug.

We know how to converse
We rarely take our opportunity
Why? Do we fear?
Here we speak
Deeply
Expansively
Intimately
What is deeply
But that droning gnat
Whispering Nay! Nay!
To our This is me?

:- Doug.

Every day the work is opening and demonstrating opening at each step. Opening conversation.

:- Doug.

What if we talked like never before have we dared?

:- Doug.

Re-knitting the roots of our community—in the face of fear.

:- Doug.

Life is conversing…with you!

:- Doug.

Family, friends and community: conversation carries us home.

:- Doug.