It's strange how the people most concerned with a "hell" in the future are the most likely to carry a lot of it with them in the present. The world strains under weight of their fears and judgments.
And certainly, a lot of us were once a part of all that: The anxiety, the in-grouping and out-grouping, the marginalization and the distancing of ourselves from those cast out into the dark... Some of us only came to grips with how harmful all of this is when we experienced what it's like to be on the other side of this belief system. It's a trial by fire, and the perspective of the one being pushed into the flames will always be very different than the perspective of the one holding the match.
And yet, even in our rejections, we forge quality of character. And even in our loneliness, we cultivate truthful embodiment. Our resilience in trauma cannot be diminished, and our defiance in the face of a religious system which would seek to shut us down cannot be underestimated.
So here’s to the unexpected devastations and rebirths – the fires which brought us to the ground and then remade us. And here’s to the slow process of grief which yields a steady assent towards something better.
It's ironically kind of biblical: From the ashes, we rise.
ABOUT THE AIRING OF GRIEF:
The Airing of Grief is a podcast featuring conversations and correspondence about spiritual de- and reconstruction.
There are some great podcasts in production which tackle specific church and theology-related issues at the core of any given episode. And while many such issues arise in our calls and written correspondence, The Airing of Grief itself is not an issues-driven podcast. Instead, our particular focus is the human experience. We look for conversation more than interview, and our themes are derived from the personal stories and perspectives shared by our guests.
Our ultimate aim is the re-congregating of those who might otherwise feel disenfranchised, cut off, or alone. In processing experiences of religion and spirituality, we hope to learn that we all remain connected, and that there is a strange new community of others who are rooting for us, celebrating us, and sharing the burden of our stories. Regardless of where anyone might land on the spectrum of belief and faith, we recognize a common bond forged in our seasons of pain and disillusionment. As the old saying goes, “A joy shared is doubled, and a grief shared is halved.”
And our desire is to craft a safe place for that. We hope to cultivate real estate for the resonance and empathy which is found when we have the opportunity to invest in one another’s experience. There is empowerment in speaking the truth of our stories – not only for those sharing, but those listening as well.