before

Water. No ice. No snow. It’s before all that. It’s the blank canvas.

I’m reading a book now on Christianity. I know – I’m surprised too. I see myself more likely reading Buddhism, maybe something from the Koran to understand that better, or … perhaps the spiritual in art. But I was raised Christian. I went to an all girls Episcopalian southern high school. Chapel every morning, albeit the people who spoke were from every church in town. I even had a class in religion to look at all (?) the religions in the world. I recall the upshot was that I learned they were very similar in the deepest sense. That was a time when there was less in the news about faith as a divisive element.

Regardless, I am actually struck by what I’m learning as I read. And in particular about the concept of emptiness. Did you even think such an idea could be found in Christianity? If I’m understanding correctly, the crucifixion created that emptiness. That emptiness then allowed for the possibility for the “creation”/resurrection to occur – which, essentially provides all the meaning for the religion.

So… I’m not going off on a religious tangent here. Just – that excited me! I know it’s a topic not to be taken lightly for a variety of reasons. But I love how that process – that emptiness that opens up the space for something meaningful to arise.

I look at my open water. Calm lake. Blank canvas…