The ground is always holy. (By ’holy’, I don’t mean something belonging to a religion. I mean that we humans have the capacity to recognise that this universe and specific expressions of life in it are wondrous. We can look all around us and see goodness.) One reason reason we don’t see the holiness much of the time is there are layers between us and the ground. The layers can be literal concrete – sterile built environments that separate us from animals, plants, soil and fresh air. The layers can be other things too:
Food which is so processed that it hasn’t resembled its natural form for months or years
Policies and systems that reduce people to cogs in a machine.
Stories, propaganda and media formats that dehumanise the humans you disagree with.
Pastimes that deaden creativity.
In the bible, when people realise they are on holy ground, they take their shoes off. They get rid of anything that disconnects them from the earth. Now science has caught up and recognised that touching the surface of the planet with bare feet is good for health.
You’re on holy ground. Perhaps it would be a good idea to remove your shoes and step off the concrete (whatever form it takes).
Young Fathers have done the soundtrack for 28 Years Later. I’m not a big soundtrack album guy, but I can’t wait to listen to this one.
I’m going to give you a few more days to think about Friday’s PUNZLE because when you get it, you’re going to love it.
Grow slowly
Jeff