Community can be found in the strangest of places. When religion falls short of its aims, we might find relational depth –and even "congregation"– where we least expect those things... Maybe even in arenas that we've specifically been taught to fear or to treat with skepticism.
How do we reconcile our longing for the simplicity of the past with our new – and increasingly complex – perspectives? The allure of the known. The loss of familiarity. Nostalgia. Heartbreak. "Regret stacked up on grief..." None of it is comfortable when we find ourselves in the immediate fallout – the result of a hurt that's still lingering somewhere nearby, and still refusing to let us look away from the mess (or our part in making it).
In the midst of our greatest loss, uncertainty, and grief, some will remain near. Others will find themselves barely resonating on the same frequency. And many will find themselves in the in-between. The three featured voices in this episode find themselves all over that beautiful spectrum. Their stories are compelling, and their presence means a lot to us.