Friends,
As the final days of Winter turn to Spring, taking with them the final possibility for significant rainfall this year, I find myself spiritually torn because I love this weather, yet—like every other Californian—I wish it would rain in Oakland and snow in Yosemite.
So here is the question: is it possible, at the same time, to give thanks for the sunshine and pray for rain? I hope so, because I’ve been doing both, and while it feels, at first, like these conflicting impulses cancel each other out, I’ve come to think that we need to learn to engage in opposites in order to survive in a complex world.
We need to embrace the interconnectedness of a global economy, while, at the same time, investing in local communities. We need to be true to ourselves while, at the same time, being considerate of others. We need to love prodigiously, while, at the same time, for the sake of our emotional wellbeing, we must safeguard our emotions. We must practice a faith of crucifixion and resurrection.
So as Spring marches in, we might want to consider performing a rain-dance while dressed in panama hats and guayaberras. It would be an exercise in spiritual health, and—who knows—it might actually bring us a little more moisture.
God’s Peace,
Ben