Thought of the week

Conversation. It's something we all engage in (some more than others), whether by force of voluntarily. Over the past few weeks at SMR I have taken part in numerous conversations at the dinner table, in the sauna and during the many hikes through the Rockies. In reflecting on these conversations, I began to consider what the point of it all is. Certainly there is great worth in a Socratic dialogue about the meaning of life, or a Biblical inquiry about the piety of our faith; however, it is rare that I find myself in those sorts of exchanges. More common are the trite accounts of the day, gossip about co-workers, or attempt at a political debate. What I have concluded from observation, is that there are two forms of conversation: the rare-remarkable and the common-trivial.

I believe that we have these latter types of conversations because they are more satisfying and easily facilitated. I have had a few conversations where I find myself trying to recite my knowledge on the ideas of different ancient philosophers and ultimately prove my own intellectual worth through digging at the question of the meaning of life. There have been a couple of times where I have looked to digest Biblical text and deliver a scripture verse of two, to perhaps better understand modern ethics or explore eschatological views. In my experience of both these topics, I find the study overwhelming and my own knowledge lacking. These are the rare-remarkable conversations; "rare" because they are difficult and often unsatisfying, and "remarkable" because they can often change one's beliefs.

Having said all this, it is of no surprise that I have had few engagements with people that have seriously taken on these hard questions. More common are the trivial engagements of the day-to-day rituals such as work, food and plans for the weekend. Engagements that leave the participants satisfied and often amused... But to what end?

In closing I would like to say that I enjoy conversing on every level, and if a talk does not hold deep value, it is as much (if not more) my fault than anyone else's. My only concern in writing this post is that I will come off as esoteric and arrogant, which is not my intention. I merely wanted to share my thoughts on the week, and give you readers a topic to marinade on... Thanks for reading :)

JW