Living from one day to the next is a choice that needs to be tended to continually.
I would propose even constantly. I know that after the yes/no choice, there comes the question of how. Our human formation was to pay attention to bad and dangerous things that would threaten the ‘yes’ choice. The unknown is not to be trusted. Do you think this might be why we keep going back to our favorite store/restaurant/ice cream? Being alone is also not in our human nature, but neither is being in huge crowds. I can know who I can see and touch, but those further away are unknown and best not to be trusted. Tomorrow may not be as good as today, so while I am healthy, I better grab all I can, so when the storm comes, I will be able to survive. If anyone wants what I have, I will tell them to find their own. If they refuse to listen, I will use my powerful strength to protect what is mine.
To stay alive from one day to the next a lot of energy and time must be expended. So much so, there is barely a minute to enjoy all the effort. It doesn’t seem worthwhile.
Maybe if we live defensively, we will have more we time. We’ll build the walls to the store house with impenetrable material. It will be over a never-ending source of food and water. There will be a room in the attached house for all the first cousins. We will have all we need and know everyone in our midst. This will be good. And once everything is in place, there will be endless energy and time for joy until we must repair the walls. We will just have to live with not knowing anything about the wider world. That is okay. We have our piece. Who needs anything else? Uhm?
Maybe if we live offensively, we will have more we time. We’ll build chariots and wagons that will help us move from place to place with speed and ease. We will live off what we find. With the world being so big, we will have all the resources we will ever need. We will just move to another location when we need something that can no longer be found easily. Once we settle in a spot, there will be endless energy and time for joy until we must move again. We will just have to live with not knowing any place deeply. That is okay. We have our flexibility. Who needs anything else? Uhm?
Maybe if we live in communion, we will have more we time. We’ll live out in the open available to all. We will live with our neighbors and our environment. We will depend on our neighbors and our environment. We will care for our neighbors and our environment. We will serve our neighbors and our environment. We will rely on one another for our well-being. We can do this by shifting our expenditure of energy and time. Stop building walls that will fall down over time. Stop moving from place to place which breeds disconnection. If we spend our time and energy to know the Creator we will come to believe the best strategy to more we time is to be vulnerable to His Creation. The Creator made a world and cosmos that is sustainable. In doing so God loves every living organism and thing unconditionally and selflessly. God’s communion with us is the essence of His agape love for creation.
I chose living this third option. I have faith that with His help, I can move my north star from blind philautia (isolating self-love) through ludus (casual love), pragma (practical love), philia (loyal love) to agape (universal love, goodwill extended to all people). Being in communion is hard work, but I have made my choice.
Humbly,
Peter
