If you make a revolution, make it for fun,
Don’t make it in ghastly seriousness,
Don’t do it in deadly earnest,
Do it for fun

D H Lawrence – A Sane Revolution

 

Dear Pogue,

I have decided to write you a letter as opposed to sending an email or something on social media. I don’t often send letters, or receive them for what its worth. I realise the art of letter writing is slowly disappearing and when it does I fear we will have lost an intimacy in our communication. There is something about words on paper. Don’t you agree? Being able to muse over what has been said which I am sure people will say they do on their device but for me it just doesn’t feel the same. I can take my pen and paper with me, leave them laying about, pick up my pen and write a word, doodle, jot notes in the margin, even suck on the end as I contemplate (which I am sure you don’t do with your iPad). It’s different. It really is.

Well, why did I decide to write after all this time?

It was that book that you bought me for Christmas. It has caused me to spend much time thinking since I received it. A spiritual diary, with a few prompts but mostly blank pages. Even though it’s nicely presented, for awhile I would have said: “I hope you didn’t spend too much on this. It’s nearly all blank pages”. But now, I am getting value from the magic it has to provoke, causing me to think and contemplate my own spiritual journey afresh.

So I have decided to share my thoughts with you and the results of the investigation and any further reading that I may have been led to. I hope you gain something from this and on occasion you find yourself able to respond with insights or questions. Your questions often have a challenging quality and demand examination and thought before offering an answer.

You and I are thinkers and often refuse to accept things at face value. We don’t like being told what we should believe or that we need to do or be something in order that things will go right for us. We are able to ask awkward questions of our teachers and we know when we are being sold a line. Basically, we know bullshit when we smell it.

Let me apologise at the outset as my letters will refer to texts and teachings from sources other than the Bible. I do this as the book you bought me has only Bible verses in it and I know this is where you find comfort. I was once like that but circumstances have caused me to look about and there is a world rich with spirituality all around us. There is divine wisdom in the most unexpected places and other texts have captured and given expression to this. God breaks out everywhere! If we had no more than nature we would find God wandering through the woods, whispering in the cool breeze and playing in the crashing waves. Sometimes I think we have truly lost our ability to see and so depend on those who would guide us, being limited to their vision and understanding, seeing the guide rather than God.

I also need to say, right here, right now, I am undoubtedly a heretic in the eyes of others (and I rather like that). I have long chosen to walk on paths not approved. Some would say I have lost my way but I would say I am finding it, day by day.

So, having been the prompt by which I am thrust on another journey of discovery I invite you to join me. Let us dare to think spiritually instead of religiously and lets do it for fun. Let’s have our own little revolution! Did you know God has the most marvellous sense of humour and is a little wicked around the edges? There, heresy already. And maybe we can pick up a few more like us on the way.

Fondest Regards