Spiritual Conversations

Over the next few days we will greet one another with the question, "How was your Christmas?" Or, "How were your Holidays?"  Or, "Were the kids home?"  The usual answer to these questions are, "it was great, or, we had lots of fun, or, we ate too much, or, can't wait to get back to a routine."

Over the next few days, instead of asking the usual questions, try asking "Did you have any spiritual conversations in the last week?"  Likely you'll get a quizzical look that says, "what is a spiritual conversation?" The reply is "A conversation of thankfulness, integrity, clarity, or, compassion,  a conversation that affirms that God is among us in our everyday moments."

Spiritual conversations are not long conversations about searching for meaning but conversations about belonging.  Spiritual conversations are not debates over the tenets of belief but conversations about where Christ's life meets ours.  Spiritual conversations are not about if its found in scripture but where scripture finds us.

A spiritual conversation is presence and being present to one another.  It asks another, "How are you doing?" and you really want to know. Its a compassionate conversation between doctor and family when there are no other treatments to offer.  Its a conversation that appreciates the gifts of a co worker, or, when parents risk to speak about what is really happening with their child in an effort to love their child better.  A spiritual conversation celebrates childhood, and adolescence, and young adulthood, and 55 and better, and retirement, and beyond as a gift from God to be in that particular stage of life.   A spiritual conversation speaks of gratitude rather than happiness for as one scholar observed, "Thankfulness is harder to come by than happiness, but immeasurably better to count on." (David L. Bartlett)

Did you have any spiritual conversations last week?