The grocery store was a trip down memory lane, especially when I passed one refrigerated section. A soda from my youth is still on the shelves! It was a favourite of my brother, highlighted by his excitement anytime he could get his hands on a bottle in the day. Looking at it, it was easy to think this was a trendy marketing experiment that would not last. Admittedly, I have never seen it sold anywhere outside the country. The fact that it continues to find space on the shelves for decades suggests it is more than a fad that another will soon take the place of.
Divine fundamentals transcend faith systems. Each faith system has unique gems within them. Life’s whispers remind me that the calls to prayer are universal, albeit in different forms. There is a Divine cadence of reflection, listening, and practice that reflects a mutual need for a relationship that begins with an embrace. When I ignore it, I risk my ability to stay centred and focused. My compass drifts. I hear the muezzin’s call to prayer as a reminder and open invitation to respond to Divinity in one’s voice and shared language.
Divinity invites me, and you, into a personal conversation. Authors often extend an invitation to try her/his new approach, suggesting they have discovered the one true path. When I hear this, the old warning comes out of context. “Does someone call out, ‘Hey, this is new’? Don’t get excited – it’s the same old story.” (Ecclesiastes 1:10). I have come to appreciate that one’s relationship with Divinity is just that, a relationship that is intimate, personal, and in many ways unique. At the core, we share many of the fundamentals. Regarding how we practice this, ah, the joys of seeing and sharing what works in our lives.
Time can deepen a relationship. As I invest in relationships, they strengthen. Relationship rhythms show themselves as practices with cadence, and one’s heart grows. For some, it starts as a fad emerging from an event or revelation. For all, it is a journey.
