Just Something In the Stars

It was something in the stars that was new enough 
To tell
There was something going down.

From “Old Sage” by 
Steve Bell and Jamie Howison

Recently I listened (and let me say, raptly) as a friend recounted her life-changing trip to Greece. Face lit up, eyes bright, hands shaping every stone of every ruin, she took me with her through the epiphanies that went off in her like sparklers. “I’ll never be the same,” she said. Knowing her, I think she’s probably right. 

I was a little envious to be honest. I’ve taken some pretty profound trips, had some way-cool things happen to me. But I can’t say any one of them transformed me completely. Turned my whole life around. Made me who I am. 

It’s been more like one circuitous journey. 

And yet …

Now and then I’ve realized that it might be time for a different path. Maybe look at things from a new angle. And definitely be more aware of the journey I’m on. 

That’s why I love those lines from the Steve Bell song about one of the magi who visited the child Jesus, looking back on what nudged him to make that trek. There was something just new enough to tell him there was something going down. Something he wanted to look for.

Something Shifts

The idea for us all to set out together on a journey arose from the Beloved Community on my Facebook profile. It seemed like we all knew something was going down and we needed to find out what it was. Though different for each of us …

something is shifting. 

Not necessarily a crisis or a big life change. All it takes is maybe –

• A certain restlessness. A feeling of going through the motions, especially in our spiritual practices
• Or irritation with people’s automatic responses, like, “It’s God’s will”, “God’s got this,” “Take it to the cross,” when we’re not even sure we know what that means.
• Or a small event that stays with you. Making eye contact with a homeless woman. Someone paying you a compliment in the canned goods aisle at Kroger. Being in the middle of a shallow conversation and realizing you’re drowning.
• Or you realize you’re on a deep, satisfying journey and you want to fall into step with someone as you continue. 

New Enough? 

Hopefully whatever brought you here is new enough in your experience to make you want to live consciously. We’re setting out to find out what’s at the center of it – our lives, ourselves, our souls. 

It’s intended to be a great trip. We’ll taste the local food. Dance to the music of the culture. Feel its climate on our skin. Breathe in its unique aroma. Wonder at the contours of the landscape as well as the popping up of its indigenous quirks. That’s going to be different for each of us, because each of our journeys is original.

Five people can be on the same road trip or retreat and have five unique experiences. Somebody (like me) hits the bookstores and coffee shops and artisan fairs. Someone else does every body-bruising, risk-taking, thrill-seeking activity on offer. This person over here shops til they drop and does lunch. That one prowls museums all day, while their counterpart sleeps all day so they can party into that night life. 

But everybody meets for lunch (i.e. here) and chimes in with what they’re discovering, and it enriches the whole group. 

It’s my deep hope, though, that we ALL find one thing: wholeness. Actually, I think what brought us all here is the innate desire placed in each of us to know our own souls and therefore God, whatever that means individually. 

TODAY’S QUESTION:

What was new enough to bring you here? It doesn’t matter whether it was just curiosity or you’re up the crazy tree and need a way back to the ground. It’s all valid.

And whatever it was, I’m beyond jazzed that you’re here. Let’s see what’s going down. Together.