Searching for a Common Thread
Searching for a Common Thread by debgrant
I have a host of post-it notes in my head. Conversations, concerns about friends, chores, writing ideas, art ideas, the last book I read, everything the world is dealing with right now. It is a flood of post-its. It is overwhelming. This happens to me often.
How I manage it
Add another note that says “Manage your notes”
Add another note that says “Prioritize your notes”
When those fail, I look for a common thread as if finding one and addressing the issue of that thread will take care of all the notes.
Does that work? Actually, #1 and #2 sometimes do even if it just makes me feel better.
#3 - The Common Thread is tricky.
It assumes there is a common thread that I can find.
It assumes that once I find it I can, at least, come up with a Deb-sized way to address it.
The process of finding it is filled with pitfalls, prejudices, incomplete information, and my own vulnerabilities, and limitations.
The process can be my own way of avoiding what I can and need to do and coating my brain with the illusion I am doing something.
Why it matters.
Sometimes searching for a common thread is useful. There is a get-to-know-you exercise I saw used in retreats and meetings. People were asked to find a partner for the exercise - preferably someone they didn’t know well. Each pair was tasked with finding one thing (beyond obvious things) that they had in common. Each pair was asked to join with another pair and repeat the same task: find something all four in the group had in common. As the group got larger with each step, the task became more difficult but it was fun and interesting to hear what people offered up as options. The common thread itself may not have made a huge difference but the shared experience by itself was meaningful.
That’s what I have today for you, ELOGOS readers. There are about 170 of you who open these emails. That is a small, however, much appreciated common thread.
Peace,
Deb
Okay so this really hits today. Common threads really occurred this weekend because as you know, I am a former Methodist. Welp, thankfully my Fb experiences have been majorly good getting in touch with so many in my former youth group at Chapelwood UMC in Houston. AND as you know, the UMC and Methodists are majorly splitting up because of the gender and sexuality issues just like ELCA has done. Welp, my old church hosted one of their prominent leaders named Rev. Adam Hamilton from KC and he went there preaching and also hosting the forum about moving forward with the UMC acceptance. My youth group friends have many different opinions and leanings in their faith (the whole spectrum aamf) and several I grew up with still remain at this same church and have various leadership roles. This is where Common Thread really popped up. Many that I know went back to Chapelwood to hear him, even my old flame who was the pastor at Faith UMC until he retired recently. Several I know who totally dropped out of the faith went too and one of my best friends and Aggie roommates attended online. The Common Thread worked! And it worked well....in fact, so many of them said their ability to grasp the issue and then embrace it probably worked so much better because our diverse group was all together to do it (ha ha....just like the old youth group MYF days). I did not attend because I'm a Lutheran....but I did pray and hoped that many would be open enough to understand...I even offered to give some of our ELCA experiences and understandings. Of course, I missed them all and it would have been so heartwarming to see them in person....but it wasn't my place. They did message me back and say they appreciated my Lutheran input....AND when this was done....that we should all get together and discuss this brave new challenge in the life of God's world. So...I think there will be discussions...and fellowship and reunion long overdue...between faiths and our lives...even hopefully joy and laughter, because we were about the silliest youth group you would never want to lead back in the 70's. Thanks for reading....in fact the Common Thread makes out like a bandit as the Holy Spirit. Love ya, pam