DIRECTION

Dear All of Us,

No doubt about it.
It's critical to know where we're going 
and how to get there.

That's more than a matter for our GPS.
It's a matter of navigating life itself.

Let me share a bit about Maurice.
Like too many, Maurice doesn't have a Life GPS.
Sure, he has a fine job, house and car -
health insurance and a pension plan too -
society's markers of success and safety.
They don't get him very far down the road 
of meaning, purpose, and direction though.
Maurice tells me he feels "rudderless" and lonely.

I've known him for yards of years.
He's a top notch guy.
If you met him, guaranteed you'd like him.
He's bright, personable, gifted.
If you had a flat, he'd pull over and help you change the tire.
Yet, he himself feels stuck on the shoulder of significance,
life passing him by, four fold flat.

He's not alone.
Like so many cruising along out here 
on the road of everyday life 
and looking pretty well off
he's empty and lonely on the inside -
directionless - 
spiritually impoverished.

Western culture and religion have caused 
a lot of lonely, lost travelers on life's way.
As a society we're still stuck with the excessive individualism 
of the misnamed Enlightenment and Reformation.
Neither came close to being true to its name or society's need.
While they did much good, they ended up isolating people, 
making  the individual 
the determiner of meaning
and the end point of purpose and satisfaction.
They sidetracked individuals into their own lonely life lanes -
no ride share.
That has keep them from participating 
in life's dynamic, shared flow through,
left them stopped and stuck in self absorption, 
isolated in head and heart. 
Me-ism and capitalism keep the lonely, directionless individual busy 
going round and round on a traffic circle 
that gets you nowhere fast - utterly lost and lonely.

To switch the metaphor, Maurice is burdened with trying to be 
the captain of his own destiny and direction.
He has to plot his own course and power his own sails.
He doesn't know it yet, but in reality he is meant to be part 
of a magnificent fleet, launched and powered by Goodness Itself, 
sailing to an Ocean of Fullness in mutual support and care.
Direction, power, companionship are givens.

To switch the metaphor yet again,
(last time, I promise!) 
Goodness Itself creates us, empowers us 
and invites us to pour those gifts into others - 
to live a Love Flow streaming with others.
Good comes into us and goes through us to others.
We get hot wired with purpose, energy and closeness 
as we companion, support and care for them.
Those others are the people, places and earth elements 
with whom we journey to the Ocean of Fullness.

All this beautifully translates to a life of contemplation, care and sharing.
We're not looking into the mirror of me.
We look outward to the vastscape of other.
We see beauty and we kiss it.
We see pain and we salve it.
We see injustice and we address it.
We see need and we fill it.
We see promise and we support it.
We see offer and we accept it.
We see our giftedness and we share it.
We see the invitation to divine intimacy in all this and we embrace the Embrace.

Recently a homeless man asked Christine for food money.
She said she couldn't offer that 
(full time grad student on a shoes string budget),
but that she'd be right back.
Christine went up to her apartment and made a great big sandwich,
added in some extras and did go right back to the homeless man
with a bag of goodness to nourish body and spirit.
              That's Love Flow. That's direction.

Allison found out about an upcoming free lecture by Barbara Brown Taylor
and about Rowen Williams preaching soon at a local church here in Washington.
She took the time to let a like minded friend know about both.
              That's Love Flow. That's direction.

Tom Brier, a gifted, high minded  young attorney I know and greatly admire, 
is campaigning for congress (10th. Congressional District, Pennsylvania)
in hopes of bringing refreshed principle and practice to Washington. 
              That's Love Flow. That's direction.

Alex, a single man and construction worker, uses his Saturdays to be 
a Big Brother for a nine year old boy 
craving male mentoring and companionship.
              That's Love Flow. That's direction.

Mona, a bright, warm hearted woman, stays with her depressed husband 
and brings light to his darkness.
              That's Love Flow. That's direction.

Edger, an exhausted parent, goes to the art museum 
and lets the Divine love his spirit to renewed energy 
through the beauty there, the shared gifts of gifted givers.
              That's Love Flow. That's direction.

Goodness Itself - God - flows into and through us to others
in endless wonderful ways.
              That's Love Flow. That's direction. 

So, where do we go, how do we get there?

             We get and go by give.

We get going by directing and giving to others 
what they need from what we have been given.

That means things like:

        - we go where our gifts meet the need of others
        - we raise kids
        - we put our all into our work
        - we encourage
        - we forgive
        - we share in a spiritual community
        - we use our abilities, talents, opportunities for the common good
        - we do that in a warm and vigorous unity 
          with all those with whom we ride share on the roadway of daily life.
    



               Thanks for this chance to check out together 
              
                 where we're going and how to get there.
                                  
                                   Love Flow 
                         
                      the way to go and get there.

                                   John Frank

                                      *****


   A warm welcome to all joining us this week for the first time here at

                             "frankly speaking"
                         spirituality for the street
                     (johnfrankshares.blogspot.com)

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