Give me only indirect truths, the kind only hinted at; the back parts of God, sashaying away, a hunger no feast can satisfy.
This vessel will hold only the sediments of these, and just barely, porous as it is––and still it’s prone to hairline fractures on impact. They are the kind that won’t kill you, for which the prescription is always “Give it time,” but you will always feel.
Feel what? Only this teasing reminder back to the joke about being the sort of person others call solid, as if there were anything else more ripe for breaking, as if faith, on most days, is anything more than the dogged continuance of this half-blind driver who is forever losing their keys.
***
Reading Christian Wiman this morning, who underscores an observation made by the brilliant Jewish theologian Abraham Joshua Herschel, remarking how “faith is primarily faithfulness to a time when we had faith . . . a tenuous, tenacious discipline of memory and hope.”
The idea that our vessels can only hold the sediments of these indirect truths, and even then just barely, resonates with me. It’s as if we are always on the cusp of something greater, but can never quite grasp it fully. The mention of hairline fractures on impact also strikes a chord, as it reminds me of the fragility of our human experience.
Thomas, you put this so exquisitely. Thank you for this, friend.
I love the opening line of this Stacey. Especially the first words “give me only indirect truths…” And in so doing, we can each, as individual occurrences, be part of the ever-changing, evolving truth(s) of being. Or something like that… not sure I’ve said what the words made me feel. Truth – that is one tricky word.
Amen to that (trickiness), Chris! It’s good to have good company in its appreciation : )
Magnificently written! I put a apple tag on my keys, but I forgot where I was going.
: )