  Spiritual
This week: Get Lost! Edited by: Sophy New Year  
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Hi, I'm Sophy New Year ~ your editor for this edition of the Spiritual Newsletter. In this issue we'll talk about how getting "lost" can sometimes be the best thing that can happen to us.
The Rev. Scotty McLennan, author of the book Finding Your Religion, compares humanity's innate need for spiritual searching to climbing a mountain. In his view, we are all endeavoring to climb the same figurative mountain in our search for the divine, we just may take different ways to get there. In other words, there is one "God," but many paths. I honor whatever path or paths you have chosen to climb that mountain in your quest for the Sacred.  |
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Get Lost!
I work with college students at a state university, and recently during a small group discussion I asked the graduating seniors what was the most important life lesson they had learned so far. After going around the circle we came to the last student, we'll call him Ben, who replied, "The greatest lesson I've learned in life so far is simple - two words. Get lost!" We laughed, thinking he was making a joke, but he was completely serious. He said, "Some of the greatest things that have happened to me in my life have occurred while I was lost. Whether it was getting lost while on a road trip, or my life for the past year - I've learned to just lean back and go with it, because I might just end up somewhere better in the end."
The background to this is that last May Ben believed he had been unfairly failed in a required class for his degree, so he appealed the grade to the university. While the appeal was going through all the hoops required, he had to put his academic life on hold until it was sorted out, since the class was integral to his next steps of becoming a teacher. He had to give up the student teaching placement he was to begin in August, move home, get a job, and wait out the process. Some told him he had a great chance of winning the appeal and to just hold tight - as soon as they sorted it out, he could begin student teaching. Others told him to accept the failed grade, retake the class, and get on with his life. He chose the former, but began to have doubts as the process ran on and on and seemed like it would never end.
In early December he received the good news that he won his appeal, that his grade would be changed from failing to passing, and he could begin his student teaching assignment in January, just a semester late. He was thrilled, and proud that he had stuck to his guns and gone through with the appeal. As he made plans for a new school placement, he was told that the professor who failed him had a right to appeal the decision of the panel who had sided with Ben. They doubted he would, but Ben should be prepared just in case. The professor had two weeks to file his appeal, and as the weeks wore on, Ben was more hopeful that he could move forward with his student teaching plans as the deadline got closer and closer with no word about the professor appealing.
On the last day the professor could appeal, late on a cold winter Friday afternoon just before winter break, Ben got word that the professor was appealing the decision of the panel. Ben now had a decision to make. He could wait out the appeal and see if the higher panel rejected the professor and sided with Ben, which would take another several months to complete but, if he won, he could start student teaching in the fall. If he waited out the appeal and lost, he wouldn't be able to retake the course until the next fall, thus setting him back another semester. Or he could give in, let the professor "win," retake the class during the spring semester, and be on track to begin his student teaching in the fall. Ben chose the latter. Even though he knew he might still prevail, he was exhausted and stressed out from the already 6 month battle, and decided to get on with his life.
Those in our group knew what Ben had been going through, and were supportive of him as he retook the class, which he was allowed to do via independent study from home while also keeping his job. At our meeting last week he had completed his independent study, passed the class, and found a new placement for his student teaching - a school that turned out to be better and more suited to his goals than the original school. Even though he'd been delayed for a year because of it all, and at times admitted he despaired and was confused because things were not turning out the way he'd hoped or planned, he ended up grateful for "getting lost" during the last year. He found things out about himself and his career path he hadn't considered before, he had been home with his family during a time they faced a crisis of their own, and he was very excited about the school where he would be doing his student teaching, as it better suited his evolving career vision.
The wisdom shared by this 22 year old man was compelling and, I admit, rather surprising (for him to have learned at such a young age). He life lesson was to encourage us to get lost more often - for in the journey of getting lost and finding our way, we often end up in a better and more interesting place than we might have otherwise. Great advice for anyone - young or old!
So, do you have any stories to share about the benefits of getting lost? If so I'll share them in my next newsletter! |
Below you'll find some spiritual offerings from other WDC members about getting lost/going with the flow of life's journey. Please let the folks know if you read their piece by leaving a thoughtful comment or review.
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Here is a response to my last newsletter "Spiritual Newsletter (April 4, 2012)" about Resurrection:
From 2bemar 
"Unrevealed until its season" I like this.
God has a time for everyone and everything.
Trusting in God..Faith opens the window.
Beautiful, thank you.
     
From jogar
Dear Editor: The form for love is trust and faith. There will be as many beats of all the hearts as there are reasons for G-D"s creation. To say this is the truth. Be true in your own heart and soul is the begining of wisdom. The fear of G-D is the respect for G-D. This is the beginning of wisdom in each inner truth that G-D created by being Truth. G-D Bless All. Jogar
Thank you for sharing.
From monty31802
As always a fine newsletter, I always read 'tho do not reply as often as I should.
Awww thanks so much, and thanks for replying this time!
From Love
Spirituality is key for me, and I was thinking to refute the term resurrection, because it is very tied into the Christian tradition. But then I just thought about the shirts I brought in from my trunk. They had been back there for over four seasons, and spring is when I decided to bring them in and wash them. In a way, I am bringing them back to life, which is probably a resurrection. I think of this more in terms of a way of being, however. More like open-mindedness, and willingness, rather than an action like resurrection. For me, spirituality has a helped me answer the question "how are you?" rather than "what are you doing?" Thanks for this newsletter.
I love this, thanks so much for sharing, what a great metaphor.
Please keep your comments and suggestions coming! Until next time! Sophy New Year |
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Spiritual: May 02, 2012 Issue [#5018]
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