Soul Stuff

Beautiful morning here in the Arizona highlands. Clear blue skies and sweet fresh air. You know how a theme of thoughts comes to you and hovers in your mind? For instance, you crawl out of bed and financial matters are in your head. Or, your waking is dominated by questions about politics, or literature, or pop music. This morning the theme seems to be spirituality. I woke up thinking about my Episcopal faith and how it fit into the world in which I live. I have been fortunate to have had a number of teachers and guides for my soul. My bud Al introduced me to the Buddhism and the thoughtful life. Dr. BigBoy demonstrates to me faith applied to daily living and I have tried to learn those lessons. Then, along the way, there have been literally thousands of ordinary exchanges with extraordinary people who, without intending to, have imparted little wisdoms and insights about living a spiritually full life. Even the Sunni and Shia imams with whom I worked in Iraq spiced up my thought process although I found Islam to be prescriptive rather than expansive of the human experience. One of the exciting prospects of returning to Welch after forty years is the affiliation with Barney’s Church and Bar (St. Barnabas Episcopal Church).

There are Scriptural passages that haunt me. The “lilies of the field” has been on my mind for a number of years. It is in the same vein as the example Thoreau set for me when I was first exposed to Walden as a teenager. Never have fully given in to the injunction to live simply although it is a constant goal. Another passage is being a doer of the Word not a hearer. It does seem to me that faith without action is unfulfilled. And, there is the very difficult “love your neighbor as yourself” that can be a deal-breaker given how many jackasses inhabit the world.

It is Sunday. It is Father’s Day. I am pitifully self-indulgent to think it appropriate to reflect on things spiritual. Instead, I’ll call The Old Goat after while and hear the latest news from Welch – it is hot, the garden is doing well, the Sunday dinner Tinker fixed was delicious, when are you coming home. I complicate the spiritual life. Less reflection and more living is the ticket. Keep it simple.