God?

I love living by the sea, in such a natural environment; love meditating with the cat curled in my lap, his breath warming my wrist while the birds chirp outside the window and the waves lap lightly at the shore. It's easier here to be in touch with the subtle rhythms of life, and I'm grateful.

I started a new book yesterday, a little one, with thirty short readings meant to be read, one a day, for a month. It's called Notes from the Song of Life, it's by Tolbert McCarroll, and today's reading was so absolutely delicious, and such a perfect description of this path you and I are traveling together that I wanted to share it with you.

When you were small you were told of gods more powerful than adults... But when you were tall enough to look directly at the face of a god, you discovered it was only a mask. You were angry and turned away from the god-mask.

Your childhood experience could be the end of your relationship with the concept of God. You are filled with doubt. But your doubt is holy and could guide you to refreshing spiritual realities. If you are fortunate you will run across some truly spiritual people. If you believe they have no desire to determine your path or control your behavior, you will feel free to listen to their experiences.

First, you will hear that the god-mask is an image painted for those who are not participating in a divine experience. There may be some sadness. Down deep you wish for a powerful parent who will get you out of trouble -- one who constantly thinks of you. But flowing with the sadness comes a realization of your own inner strength.

Then you will learn of a divinity in which you can participate...God is a word for the fundamental mystery of existence. Because it is a word it should have a meaning; because it describes a mystery it can never have a universal definition.

When you were a child you wanted to know where God lived. You imagined a superhuman being, like Santa Claus, who lived "up there." As you grew older you realized there was no "up there." In church you heard about a supernatural being who lived in a place parallel to your world but not of it. A god who is superhuman or supernatural is distant from you. But perhaps God is not so remote. It may be that God is not a being but is being itself. God is unlimited; definitions of God are all limited. God cannot be captured in a net of words.

..."God" is a word. "God?" is the fundamental question about what it means to be a complete person. "God?" is a challenge to realize your humanness through an experience of what is unchanging and unlimited. Do not quest for "God" but for "God?"

There is a rhythm in all of life. The rhythm can only be heard in moments of quiet. If you are in harmony with this rhythm there will be a sense of completeness in you and in all the people and things you touch. At first you look outside yourself for the rhythm and you only hear a faint sound. Then you listen inside.

When you hear the song you must decide what you will do. You can wander in search of other tunes. You can stand rigid and continue to listen. Or you can let the song possess you. You can become a part of the rhythm of life and open yourself to ultimate frontiers of existence. If that happens to you, then to the question "God?" you have responded, "Yes!"