Friday, July 24, 2009

excerpt from an email

He asked: What is the most important thing in your life? What drives you, or what is your motivation?

I replied:

The most important thing for me is probably communion. And by that I don't mean what goes on in church buildings on Sundays. ;o) I'm talking about communion: sharing my thoughts with someone--the other person sharing their thoughts with me--in a way that is transparent, vulnerable, honest, gritty. It's inextricably interwoven with genuine emotion, empathy, understanding. The kind of meeting-of-the-minds-and-hearts that happens after you've been talking for hours and hours and it's four o'clock in the morning, you're so tired you're delirious and yet each of your senses is sharpened, hyper-aware, perfectly attuned to the other person's wavelength. Four in the morning is the ideal time, but communion can happen anytime, anyplace, as long as both people are laying things out The Way They Really Are. You get to the point where fewer and fewer words are necessary...until just looking each other in the eye suffices for communicating a universe, a googolplex of thoughts.

This can happen with other humans. This can also happen with God.

As for my motivation.....I guess it's to become the kind of human capable of that level of communion--sustained.

If I could reach this goal....everything else would fall into place.

4 comments:

Aaron Pogue said...

I know exactly what you mean. It usually IS four A. M., though, isn't it? Weird.

thegermanygirl said...

Yes, it is. Does it beg the question as to whether or not nightowls are more likely to let down the barriers?

Not trying to step on any toes...just ruminating. ;o)

Anonymous said...

I think it's because you're too tired to maintain the walls :-)
Thanks for being a good "communer" and friend :-)

thegermanygirl said...

Bri, I definitely count you as one of my closest fellow communers. :o)