I haven’t written in a while so it’s possible that Diane will be my only audience but that’s ok! As a reminder, I’ve entitled the full complement of these essays, A Pilgrim’s Journey: Love Letters to God. In other words, I write when I feel compelled and I do it as a way of giving back to the author of my life. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. 🙂

This is not a new theme for me, nor as a subject for my writing. However, it’s been on my heart for some time now to address it again and, so, here goes.

Anyone who knows me well now and/or has read my thoughts these past four years, knows that I spend a lot of time trying to discern the nature of reality. And, while that sounds like a pretty heavy philosophical concept (actually, it is), it needn’t be. We govern our lives by the things we believe to be true. (As an aside, I had the privilege of discussing this very thing this morning, via Zoom, with a young couple who are my new friends!)

So, why the title, Two Feet?

We can begin by acknowledging that, as bipeds, our ability to move in any direction is because we have two legs and feet that are designed to hold us upright and stable, while getting us to where we want. Our feet are the things that touch the ground. We plant our feet in a way that will hopefully keep us from tipping over. When hiking over uneven terrain, we normally pay a lot of attention to the ground, with its rocks, ridges and possible impediments to our stability. We want to make sure that our feet land in the right place. We’ll return to this in a bit.

As I examine the underpinnings of our (western) society today, I can easily come up with a variety of ways that people determine the nature of all things. One of the increasingly dominant frameworks (frameworks are the ways we organize things) is this belief that all truth is relative. I’ve covered this many times. In other words, there is no clearly objective truth that exists outside of the purely natural or mechanical conditions of our lives. Each person is free to determine their own “truth.” Of course, this view is patently untenable for the simple reason that one cannot state, “there is no truth,” the statement of which is presented as true.

Another common view is that there is a non-material “supernatural” reality but it is one of pure spirit and cannot be defined by a Being of some kind. This belief is held by traditional Hindus, some Buddhists and their western counterparts, those professing the New Age or to be “spiritual.” To their credit, adherents to these systems do believe in alternate realities than what is normally the province of the worlds of physics, chemistry and biology. We hear terms like Christ Consciousness, merging with and praying to The Universe, devotion to the Goddess or Gaia and so forth. Not being strict materialists, these people “know” there is a lot that doesn’t meet the eye. Many try to adapt their western or even Christian beliefs to substantiate these interpretations. I don’t blame them. They’re on the right track. Sort of.

On the plus side, they acknowledge that they have one foot each in two different realities: The here and now on the one hand and the spiritual on the other.

On the negative side, they can’t locate, with any precision, the source of the supposed “spiritual” reality. It just is. Well then, where did the flesh come from? Chance, random mutations and natural selection as the materialists claim? The only alternative to chance is logical causation. But, spiritualists shy away from causation because they don’t accept where that leads.

I, on the other hand, fully believe in two different, although intersecting realities but the “other” reality is clearly defined and can objectively be known. Plus, it exists despite what others my believe.

This gets me in hot water because I’m stating that this viewpoint means that competing ones are false and that’s a no-no in conventional thinking. Why, goes this argument, that’s the perfect example of intolerance, which is the most evil of contemporary themes! At the risk of being a broken record, this statement that I don’t have the right to believe this (because it’s inherently oppressive) is also a form of intolerance and is clearly oppressive.

Setting all of this aside, as I’ve sought to portray in all of my 250+ essays over the past four years, I know I live equally in two different but intersecting worlds, both equally true in their natures. In fact, I have one foot in two different worlds.

For whatever reasons (and I have my take on this), I have been fortunate enough to get to know the “other” reality which, interestingly has both spiritual and physical properties. Just like “this” one. In fact, my place in this one is completely dependent upon my place in the other one. Interestingly, the reverse is equally true, despite the objections by many of my contemporaries.

While I have every desire to engage in healthy discussion which is completely respectful of the views of others who don’t see things as I do, I have no problem in believing and even saying (in a very measured, humble and respectful way), “I’m sorry, you’re wrong.” Of course, my hypothetical fellow conversant will have arrived at the exact same conclusion, believing that I’m wrong to say they are. I find this clarity to be incredibly healthy as we navigate life together, however briefly.

So, in returning to the concept of two feet, I have one foot firmly planted in this world and one foot firmly planted in the other. I use the word, “firmly,” to mean that it’s solid. The footing is solid and believable. It holds up to the most careful of scrutiny. I can stand, trusting, on that ground and can walk forward in life, governed by the laws of both. While there is certainly mystery in the depths, there need not be fundamental vagueness. At least with the key elements.

Put simply, I am in this world but not of it.

And, while this is a catchy little phrase, it contains a mountain of truth that is shattering in its implications.

It expresses the fact that, ultimately, I am not meant to be here. And, while I’m not meant to be here, I am here. It’s not some kind of illusion as presented by so-called Eastern religions. By design, I’m supposed to be somewhere else which, by the way, is not some disembodied “spirit” existence or becoming “one with the universe.”

I am designed to flourish within a great, loving and holy dance, living an eternal existence that is only just hinted at through the lens of our current lives … a life of creativity, work, love, joy, justice and any number of things we can describe as beautiful.

The fact that I know this to be true allows me to live on this finite side with purpose derived from a compass always pointing to True North.

Walking forward with that compass, with two feet, each planted in a different fundamental reality, is not an easy thing. It’s often quite hard to see past the end of our noses … noses deeply immersed in the many features … good and bad … that surround us. Admittedly, I constantly struggle to stay on course, with each foot firmly set on solid ground. I struggle with the path ahead, which is not straight and narrow when viewed from this side … but is straight and narrow when viewed from the other.

But, just because it’s difficult does not mean it’s too hard. In fact, as difficult as it may seem, it often becomes as easy as can be. So easy, it’s like shrugging, “What else could it possibly be?“

Two feet. Two realities. One person. Moving forward through life. Where are your feet? I know where mine are and I am eternally grateful for that.

Amen.