Two women with bibles in their hands just knocked on my door.
They kindly asked if I struggled with anxiety, and suggested that I reference my bible, Matthew 6:18, for some guidance on how to deal with it. I thanked them (because we all deal with anxiety) and I told them we’re a buddhist household. I own a bible, a beautiful one that belonged to my mother when she was a child, but I keep it on the shelf for reference. I find it comes in handy when I’m writing, particularly when I’m writing religious characters.
This stumped them. I’ve had the experience before. You tell a bible thumper that you’re buddhist and they just don’t know what to say. They know buddhism is a religion (though I prefer to think of it as a philosophy), but they don’t know much about it. They smiled and continued with the script: It’s good to have somewhere to turn when anxiety builds up.
I couldn’t agree more. In fact, I spent all last week in silent meditation at the Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Northern California (pictured above – isn’t it beautiful?). No talking, no writing, no reading. Just me, and 100 or so other people, sitting silently with our own thoughts. People think it’s the silence that’s hard, but for me, it’s not reading. I have trouble falling asleep at night without reading.
This was the third retreat I’ve done, and the shortest. Still, even just having a few days to be quiet and meditate is such a welcome change of pace. My hubby and I try to make space for each other to go once a year, but for many years I’ve chosen to do writing retreats instead. Taking this time felt like a nod to balance in my life.
Anyhow, I didn’t tell the nice ladies at the door all this. I simply thanked them for their care and concern and wished them luck on their walk. Next time I think I will invite them in for coffee. I would LOVE to know what motivates them. How is it that they spend their days walking from house to house singing the word of the lord? There’s a story there.
But I already have a story, and right now, that’s what I need to be working on.
As a writer the more “out of the box” experiences you can have the better your characters will become as you gain more variety in peoples perspectives.
Thirty five years, or so ago; my mother, a Catholic, but not much on bibles or trying to convert others, invited the Jehova Witness ladies to sit out by the pool and discuss such things, find a common thread-or not. We are only a few blocks from a large kingdom hall and I think they used to send the new ones close in the neighborhood first.
They sat and chatted for hours, including fixing a shared lunch and when it started to get dark they left. I was too young to care, or certainly to stay and listen. However, every year on the anniversary of that day, we got a card from one of them. And when my mother died, and I certainly didn’t contact them, they somehow knew and sent another nice card.
For my mother it was a one and done experience.
What a great story Rob. I truly believe, when it comes down to it, the common ground of compassion and caring that motivate people toward religion are the best things about it.