This entry is a slight deviation from where I have been going for the past few days. Whenever I experience a convergence of thoughts, ideas, and experiences, I take note. The past few days have been just such a convergence.

Convergence One: I spent a couple of days thinking and writing about the Prodigal Son. He needed to rebel against his early teachings in order to fully appreciate his past as the platform for discovering a more mature view of himself and his life.

Convergence Two: This past weekend I spent two days with a 94 year-old friend who, beginning 30 years, has been an important spiritual mentor to me. She and I have stayed in contact during that time. Seven years ago I provided the memorial service for her husband, who had also been a pivotal person to me. This weekend we arranged for me to visit with her about her memorial service. “I’m not planning on dying right away, but I am 94.”

My final conversation with her, before driving the 250 miles home, took place while we were walking toward her room. She was pushing her walker and I was keeping pace. I told her, “Being with you for the past two days has reminded me of 3 important things. First, it’s not important that I understand what you are saying or that I agree with what you are saying. It’s just important that I am with you and absorb what you are saying.” She is a perpetual teacher, even in a casual conversation, because she is a perpetual student of life.

She simply replied, “Good. What else?”

“Second, I have been reminded that my parents were my first teachers. They gave me the platform to stand on as I grew. But the things I learned from them are the things I needed to unlearn in order to discover who I am now. But I needed all that as my starting place.”

“Finally, you and Ted were crucial in helping me unlearn. It was a painful process, and it was your support, encouragement, and sometimes your kick in the butt that helped me learn what I needed to learn.”

She took a few slow steps as she thought about that. “Good” was all she said. It was all I needed.

Convergence Three: Reading this morning from Natalie Goldberg’s The Great Failure, she writes, “This would have seemed crazy and very scary, but all that work at St. John’s (her study of philosophy) actually created a foundation. I understood the world would now be flipped on its ear, thrown over, belly-up. Nothing would ever be the same.”

This is always a scary process, and it is always worth it in the long run.