Invisible Lines of Connection
Sacred Stories of the Ordinary
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5.0 • 1 Rating
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- $16.99
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- $16.99
Publisher Description
“Suppose there is something going on in the universe which is to ordinary, everyday reality as our unconcious is to our daily lives? Softly, but unmistakably guiding it. Most of the time, we are unaware of it. Yet, every now and then, on account of some ‘fluke,’ we are startled by the results of its presence. We realize we have been part of something with neither consciousness nor consent. It is so sweet—and then it is gone. You say, ‘But I don’t believe in God.’ And I ask, ‘What makes you think it matters to God?"’
—from
Lawrence Kushner, whose previous books have opened up new spiritual possibilities, now tells us stories in a new literary form.
Through his everyday encounters with family, friends, colleagues and strangers, Kushner takes us deeply into our lives, finding flashes of spiritual insight in the process. Such otherwise ordinary moments as fighting with his children, shopping for bargain basement clothes, or just watching a movie are revealed to be touchstones for the sacred.
This is a book where literature meets spirituality, where the sacred meets the ordinary, and, above all, where people of all faiths, all backgrounds can meet one another and themselves. Kushner ties together the stories of our lives into a roadmap showing how everything “ordinary” is supercharged with meaning—if we can just see it.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
What do ordinary stories about stamp collecting, Federal Express packages, Hershey bars with almonds, a child's blue hat and trout fishing have in common? In Kushner's hands, they turn into a road map showing how the mundane can become avenues for exploring the sacred connections in our lives. In each of 42 short chapters, Kushner develops a picture of something tactile-a bowl of peaches, a navigational computer-then tags it with a spiritual punch line. On wool pants: "Of course organized religion itches. It is trying to hold a crease in life." Instead of being devoid of meaning, everyday encounters resonate with symbolism, paths to uncovering a reverence for God, appreciation of family and acceptance of responsibility to others. A Massachusetts rabbi and author of eight books on spirituality, Kushner writes with compelling lyricism that's easy to read. But his final product is uneven. Sometimes, the connections between what we see and what we don't offer sparks of insight that produce a shiver of recognition. At other times, the chapters are lightweight, falling short of the spiritual edge Kushner tries to hone.
